


Fractured

by Jaw_Titan



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Violence, DarkSparks, Eventual Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Guns, Heavy Angst, Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prostitution, Rape/Non-con Elements, Slow Burn, omegaverse AU, plot heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:13:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25674886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaw_Titan/pseuds/Jaw_Titan
Summary: A young, French electrical engineer by the name of Natalie Paquette pursues her dream job in Japan to cope with her father's death. What she doesn't expect is for her technology to be stolen, and things take a turn for the worst when Yakuza gets involved.-This is going to be a long Darksparks slowburn with plenty of plot, angst, fluff, and eventual romance and sexual scenes.
Relationships: Bangalore | Anita Williams/Lifeline | Ajay Che, Wattson | Natalie Paquette/Wraith | Renee Blasey
Comments: 32
Kudos: 204





	1. Introduction - Pre-Chapter

**Author's Note:**

> This is an introduction chapter that holds important information. I encourage you to read it, especially because it has trigger warnings, but it is not necessary!

Hey everyone! This is just going to be an introduction broken down into sections that include a posting schedule, warnings of the graphic material that may be involved in this, a description of how I view Omegaverse, and a quick thanks to the people aiding me with this fanfic!

Also, one other quick thing. This is a Yakuza AU, and while my co-writer has done extensive research on the Japanese culture and we have another person assisting, we apologize now if anything we write comes out inaccurate. If that happens and you catch it, please inform us and we would be happy to fix it right away! While it is a fictional world, the last thing we want is to disrespect the culture when we are trying to be as accurate as possible. Thank you!

**Section 1 - Posting Schedule**

N/A For the time being. Stress, work and school are a factor currently. We will get the fanfic up and running again when everything is settled. 

**Section 2 - Warnings**

There will be harsh themes in this fanfic. I cannot spoil anything, but I can promise you that there is **no** non-con between Ren and Natalie. I will put the warnings below in bullet points. While most of these will be included, some of them are just potential and up for change. I just want to make sure I cover every warning possible. Tags will be added to the fanfic as chapters are added with the necessary tags.

  * Sexual Assault / Rape themes
  * Violence / Injuries
  * Blood 
  * Minor gore 
  * Depression / Suicidal themes 
  * Alcohol / Drunkenness
  * Mentions of drugs
  * Illegal activities
  * Prostitution
  * Minor abuse
  * Misogyny
  * Enforced roles



  
  


**Section 3 - Omegaverse**

My co-writer and I decided to throw Omegaverse in for this AU. While it is a strange combination, we believe it can help include key points in our plot that make it all the more dramatic. This Omegaverse is NOT only sexual, and while there will be sexual elements and sex in the later chapters, it is not the focus point.

Here is a link for general A/B/O knowledge, but there are just a few things that will be changed from it.

[ https://omegaversefics.tumblr.com/post/175597709910/general-abo-knowledge-heres-a-basic-explanation ](https://omegaversefics.tumblr.com/post/175597709910/general-abo-knowledge-heres-a-basic-explanation)

**_Changes:_**

  * Female Alphas do not have a retractable penis, it is like normal male Alpha anatomy with the knot.



\- This is for simplicity and my own preference. A sheath for a human does seem a bit strange and just makes things more difficult to envision. This is of course my opinion, but I apologize to anyone who may not like this.

  * Alphas and Omegas do not have a vast height difference. 



\- There are no extremes in this, and while Alphas do tend to lean towards the taller side, that does not mean there cannot be short Alphas. Same for Omegas, there is such a thing as them. Think more to just average heights that anyone can be.

  * Scents are a very big thing in this fanfic.



\- Scents are not only for Alphas and Omegas to mark each other and tell when the other is ready to mate. Scents convey more emotions, especially strong ones. For instance, a stressed Omega/Alpha will create a scent that is usually unpleasant for the other to smell. Happiness and joy can also be expressed with a strong scent, simply giving off the hint that the Omega/Alpha is in a pleasant mood. There are other things, but this is just the general idea.

That should be everything for this section! If you have any questions, feel free to comment or send me a message on Twitter.

**Section 4 - Thank you’s**

First, I would like to thank my friends and other people who were excited for this to be started, and to anyone else who decides to read this! This fanfic greatly depends on the support of the readers, and we hope we don’t disappoint. 

I would also like to thank my co-writer and editor, Lux. I would not be able to create this without their knowledge, assistance, and friendship. They are my best friend and I am so happy to be creating this with them!

My last thanks is to 遺贈 (Izo) on the Darksparks Discord Server. She has helped us be more accurate with the Yakuza traditions and will hopefully continue to assist us with any upcoming issues that we need clarity on!

—————

If you would like to follow me on Twitter for updates to the fanfiction, you can find me there @jaw__titan! That should be everything! Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy it.

  
  



	2. Chapter 1: Dream Come True...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family deaths are always difficult to deal with. How each person copes with it can be vastly differently, and therefore lead them to a live vastly different lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note! Any speech that is in quotation marks and italicized means that they are speaking in Japanese.

As a child, you’re usually asked what you want to do when you grow up. Many children would say similar things from each other: An astronaut, a superhero, a wizard, or to be famous. For one little girl in particular, the answer to that question was not so typical. She stood confidently in front of her classroom and stated that she wanted to be an electrical engineer— Just like her Papa. Many kids were confused, some laughed, but the teacher was intrigued. Her goal was rather realistic, especially for someone her age. Not to say that being an astronaut was unrealistic, but superheroes and wizards didn’t exactly exist.

The girl was none other than little Natalie Paquette, which at that point in time, she wasn’t known to many people. Her last name was rather familiar however, as her father had his own business in electrical engineering. (Insert business name). From that young age, Natalie quite enjoyed working alongside her father, Luc Paquette, in his projects. Usually it was work related but he always took time to teach her whatever she wished to know. 

At some point later, Natalie expressed that she’d much rather be learning at home than in class. She did have issues when it came to socializing as well as finding a group to fit into but that was not her main reason. As she seriously explained to her father, which he found adorable for an eight year old girl, she could take more time to focus on pursuing electrical engineering at home while working on her other subjects. She was an excellent student and was accelerating at a much faster rate than any of the other children.

Another thing that weighed heavily on how she was viewed, though it shouldn’t be, was that Natalie was an Omega. Many teachers and other adults saw her geniusness as simply a cute quirk and not something to be taken seriously. In this day and age, equality between Alphas and Omegas had already technically been earned, but still had some adversity like every other issue. Unfortunately, most adults were still misogynistic; especially the Alphas whom many thought were still the superior of the two.

Despite this, her Papa had done nothing but give her his full love and support, nurturing her and educating her as best as he could. That being said, it eventually got to a point where she was basically teaching herself things. Before he even knew it, she had earned her high school degree at the age of ten. It then only took her three years to complete and earn a college degree in electrical engineering. By the age of thirteen she was already working alongside her father— As much as she was allowed, that is. Being a minor had its disadvantages with rules and regulations for how often she could work but she usually continued without pay for many hours.

Electrical engineering wasn’t just something she saw as a job, it was something she loved to do. It was something she understood and could focus on. Her dream was to work for a larger company and create something that could be useful to everyone. There was nothing wrong with working in her papa’s shop, but it was mostly local anyways. He continued to encourage her and even helped her seek out and discover decent companies that she could eventually work for.

One particular company had caught her eye. It was even acclaimed for making many advancements in society. The company was named Syndicate and although its technology had progressed globally, there was one issue: The only company buildings were located in Japan. In order to work for the company, she would need to move to Japan. Which meant more studying would be required as well as learning how to speak and write in Japanese. At fourteen, she already knew how to speak fluent French, English, and German. Learning languages was something that came easy to her as well, even if it wasn’t her passion and she knew it would only be a simple hurdle. 

Once her heart was set, Natalie studied even harder by working on professional level mathematical problems, advanced engineering mechanics, memorizing everything there was to know about electrical wiring, and learning Japanese. This was just a dream of course. The last thing she wanted was to leave her father, even if she knew she could make it on her own. So even when she was beyond prepared, she remained working alongside him until she was twenty. 

Then came the day that any daughter would dread, one that was unexpected. The story was not one she yet wanted to recall but everything was a blur. The doctors said it was ischemic heart disease, a common cause of death for men. It didn’t make much sense. Papa was there one second and then gone the next. Natalie could decipher even the most difficult mathematical equations that even advanced college professors struggled with and while she understood the disease medically, something just wasn’t clicking with her. She didn’t understand.

The only people she had left were two friends who didn’t even reside in France. A girl by the name of Ajay Che, who she had met while the girl’s parents were vacationing in France and another; an Alpha named Anita who she had later been introduced to by the other. They eventually started dating and Natalie was happy and had congratulated them on their relationship. They were both incredibly important to her and never made her feel like a third wheel for once in her life.

Aside from that spot of brightness in her life, her friends could only message her and video call so often to keep her distracted from her father’s death. It was still very difficult for her and she had a habit of bottling things up and ignoring them, opting to focus on work for endless hours instead. After a month or so after her papa’s passing, it became too much and stress weighed heavily on her, causing an accident. The details of that situation were also something Natalie refused to think about. All she remembered was waking up in the hospital. Her entire left arm up to her shoulder, neck and cheek had been electrocuted and burned to a state in which she nearly lost her limb.

Recovery was long and excruciating, and there were many times in which she wished she could just give up. When messaging and video calls weren’t enough, Ajay and Anita took time off from their jobs and lives to come support her in her recovery. They were only able to stay for just under a month, but that time had entirely changed her view on how she needed to handle things. There was nothing left for her in France for now, so she was going to finally pursue her career.

Although it had been a few months, she could already speak near fluent Japanese and write almost just as well. She had the experience that Syndicate would be looking for. While in her last month of recovery at the hospital, she applied for the job through an online application. A response was given the next day, saying that they would be thrilled to have her work for them and if anything she was overqualified for the position that she applied for. They instead offered a promoted position in the company, closer to working with the lead electrical engineers there. 

It was set at that point. She would gather whatever money she had in savings as well as her inheritance from her papa so she could move to Japan and claim her position in the company. It would be an excellent distraction from her issues and she would be able to move on. For once she could feel like she was doing something to better the world. She could be part of something bigger. It would be her dream come true. 

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

While Natalie may have worked to get to where she was, not everyone could be as lucky as her and have supportive parents throughout their childhood. One particular child ran through the back streets of Japan, stealing and bartering and doing whatever she could to survive. An Alpha orphan from the age of 9, Matsui Ren refused to stay with any adults or at any orphanage. The thief roamed all throughout the districts of Tokyo, managing to work her way up from the bottom.

Unfortunately, it became obvious quite quickly that just stealing wasn’t enough. There was competition for these sorts of things, even out on the streets. It took only once for her to realize that. She had stolen a decent amount of food for herself but a group of rogue orphans had seen her and cornered her. It was an unfair fight: One against four. The beating she took for just a couple of small meals was cruel and unjust, but she promised to never allow that happen again.

Ren took time to learn how to fend for herself, getting as much knowledge as she possibly could from free resources on how to defend herself. It was something that she managed to learn quickly, eventually getting to the point where she could take down other kids that were twice her size. By thirteen, she was able to avoid all authority while keeping the upper hand on all other thugs that were around. Even though she was surviving well, she wanted more, as most kids do. 

Gambling for money was an easy feat. Oh, not for her of course! For the people that knew how to gamble. All she had to do was strike at the moment in which all the audience and participants were distracted. Stealing from the pockets of unsuspecting victims had become a talent of hers. She was running high from having such good luck for so long that she didn’t pay close attention to the man she had stolen from last. However, the man had noticed, having worked alongside with a gang that is controlling the district she had been residing in.

The Yakuza were not a group of people anyone dared to challenge. Their strength was mostly concealed, but was never questioned by any of the locals in the area. The gang took care of their family and dealt with criminal activity that didn’t pertain to their plans. This included Ren, who has been seen as more of a pest to them and their community and one that would need to be taken care of.

They had been following her for quite some time— For her entire life actually. Perhaps not for the reason that one may think. But because of that, they knew exactly where she was going to be that night and waited for the teen to make her move. Before Ren could even turn around with the newly stolen item in hand, she was grabbed by two larger men who wasted no time in restraining. She struggled and fought, even called for help, but the citizens in the gambling ring turned their gaze away as if nothing was happening.

In this situation, there was nothing she could do. A bag was put over her head and she was transported in a vehicle to some unknown location, being brought inside to a room where there was a single man: The absolute leader of this Yakuza clan, the oyabun. She was brought before him and forced to kneel.

The leader offered her a position within his clan: a new place to start out. She would still be expected to work her way from the bottom but he mentioned that if she were to complete this journey, a special position awaited her. There were many emotions running through her at the moment, the largest being confusion. There wasn’t anything she could see in herself that the Yakuza would want for themselves. She was raised like any other low-class child for the first nine years. Just because she was an orphan and a thief didn’t mean she should be invited to work with them.

After all, she had heard that they were a tightly-knit society of their own. She questioned him, aggressive and tense in her mannerism. Anger and confidence is what kept her alive out on the streets, and although she could feel her body trembling with fear, she would not let herself look so pitiful in front of a powerful figure. The man’s mood had somewhat changed as he stood and stepped in front of her, looking down upon her and examining her features.

  
  
_“You look just like your mother.”_

Those words were something she would never forget. Her anger dissipated and although she was still minorly puzzled, most of the pieces fell into place. As much as she didn’t want to believe it and as reluctant as he was to say more, he explained the affair that the kumicho had with Ren’s mother, making her the daughter of the oyabun. It was at that moment that Ren knew she wouldn’t be able to refuse him. 

At first she wanted to. The pain from losing her mother, abandoned and left to die on the streets of Tokyo was still fresh; even after all these years and the anger that she held was something she could feel seething inside of her as a young Alpha. Instead of fighting back, for once in her life she yielded. This man, her own father, was offering her something that would change her forever. A family, a home and a new start to become someone better, and to become someone powerful. He was giving her a life. She accepted. It would be a debt that she would never be able to repay but sitting beneath the stare of the oyabun. Ren was indebted, but thankful. 

Indiscretion and impudence had no place within the Yakuza but Ren was always a fast learner. She worked harder than any of the other members, earning her status for herself, determined to make her new family proud and to prove that she had what it took to become ninkyō dantai; not because she was the oyabun’s daughter, but because she herself possessed the ability to be greater than all the others.

Perseverance, skill and loyalty pays off after years of hard work and at only the age of nineteen, Fukuda Ren became the clan’s wakagashira. Surpassing all others in order to stand by her father's side as a proud and honorable Alpha. She is respected and both reputable and infamous within the syndicates of Japan and even till this present day, her status has never been tarnished and she continues to make a name for herself and her family.

────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_

Starting a new life was difficult for anyone, even if they weren’t moving far from home. Except for Natalie, who was moving from France to Japan. She expected for the change to be vast, but this was a bit more overwhelming than she anticipated. Chiyoda was a gorgeous ward, with its beautiful scenery, expansive gardens and sakura trees that blossomed in the spring. At its center was even the impressive imperial palace. This was her new home and the ward where her new job, Syndicate Headquarters, was located. 

As she arrived, she was picked up by a Syndicate worker who was more of a guide from their company. Syndicate offered her a place she could rent out as they owned some of the apartment buildings in the area. It was obvious they greatly appreciated Natalie taking their upper position offer, excited to have her as one of their star employees even though she was the one to apply. 

The apartment she was renting was small and charming, only having the basic necessities. A bedroom, personal bathroom, kitchen, and a small living area. It wasn’t much, but she didn’t feel the need to seek out somewhere larger to stay. She had a week for herself to unpack and explore the local area before she had to her first day of work, which is exactly what she had done.

Navigating the city was no simple task, but thankfully her years of studying had paid off. She was able to properly and fully communicate with the locals while also being able to read the signs for locations and directions. She knew she had much to learn, but many of the people there were impressed with her ability to hold a full conversation, saying that her accent and pronunciation were also impressive for someone who was not Japanese, nor had she lived in Japan before.

The days passed by quickly, to which she actually spent most of them at home resting and organizing her things to prepare for her job. Adjusting to a new time zone wasn’t incredibly difficult, but it did have its toll on her. Eventually, it got to her first day of work. The company was massive, and clearly had widespread influences. While she didn’t expect to make any friends out of her co-workers anytime soon, her worries were eased when she was brought to the workshop, being given her own room to focus on projects. It wasn’t large either, but was absolutely large enough for her to work comfortably, as well as having two assistants. 

For now, she was just requested to work on and fix certain wirings on a product they owned to make it more efficient before mass producing it. That was simple enough, and she was able to come up with multiple solutions to their problem while also working on some new devices and ideas she was planning on presenting to the head electrical engineer. 

What wasn’t planned out for her was when she headed into the break room, and everyone immediately turned to look at her, genuine alarm on their expressions. It had only been a little over two weeks since she started working there, so she didn’t quite understand what was wrong. It was then when she caught the words coming from the T.V. provided there. The news was the only thing that was permitted for them to watch during lunch breaks, and normally there wasn’t much on.

_BREAKING NEWS: Suspected Yakuza clan member murdered by new technology that was stolen from Syndicate Industries_

What? No, that was ridiculous. No technology from their company could be used to… To even harm someone, much less murder. A short video clip from someone on the scene showed a modified version of some of Natalie’s technology, which made even less sense. The issue was that she recognized the style and specific designs, even if the weapon itself was butchered, poorly made, and incredibly unstable. Something with the level of electrical power that she was experimenting on would absolutely kill someone, but that was impossible for the person to have her schematics.

What did that mean for her? It wasn’t her fault. Her name wasn’t anywhere on the news, and yet she could at least tell that everyone watching was uncomfortable and concerned. There was no reason she could get involved in such a silly thing, and so she assumed she’d be safe. All she had to do was discuss some matters with the heads of the company and explain what happened. She could prove her innocence. She would be safe.

Right?

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

  
  


Most interruptions were inexcusable when it came to the Yakuza. The oyabun absolutely despised having his lunch interrupted. It was the one time per day that he could spend time with both his wife and his daughter. Yet a man had barged into the dining area, alarmed and followed by two other brothers.

_“Sir. I apologize for interrupting-”_

_“You should be very sorry. What could be so important that you must barge in like an animal?”_ The oyabun laid down his utensils, eyes narrowed at him.

_“One of our brothers has been killed by Syndicate technology.”_

Ren paused from eating, her brows slightly knitting together as she looked up to the other members. Although they were seen as rugged and resilient members, there was a certain sorrow in their eyes. They cared for each other still, and the loss of a member was no small thing. 

“ _I see. Have you captured the person responsible for it?”_

_“Yes, sir. We have also located the engineer behind the schematics that he used to create the weapon.”_

_“Mmh. Good. Bring them to me. Syndicate has never produced anything like this before, at least not that I have been made aware of. Also, set up a meeting for me with the heads of Syndicate. I believe we have important matters to discuss.”_

The men bowed and left the room, leaving the family to eat. It was business as always, but it had been a while since they had any complications. It would be interesting to see who was behind the brilliant technology that killed someone from their clan. Justice had already been delivered to the murderer, so all that's left was the scientist. 

Killing the electrical engineer was not on their agenda, though they would not hesitate if it came down to it. For now, they would see if this supposed genius would cooperate and work for them, instead. If this scientist could create weapons that are more powerful than the inferior weapon that was blindly constructed, it could raise them further up in the pyramid of power.


	3. Chapter 2: Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yakuza have acquired information of the scientist behind the original plans of the makeshift weapon and decide to take her back to their hideout for an interrogation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!WARNING!!
> 
> This chapter has graphic themes that may not be suitable for some people. The trigger warnings include:
> 
> \- Explicit Sexual Scenes  
> \- Attempted Sexual Assault  
> \- Violence / Blood  
> \- Use of guns

_ Chiyoda, Tokyo - Natalie’s Apartment _

It had already been two days since the incident on the news, and nothing yet has happened to her. Which is to be expected. Nothing was  _ going _ to happen to her. As she unlocked her apartment with a sigh, she pushed the door open and stepped in. It was entirely dark, and she didn’t notice any unusual scents. No break-ins. This was just silly, what was she being so paranoid for? Natalie stepped inside, closing the door and latching the lock behind her before putting her messenger bag on a hook she had on the wall.

Tonight she had scheduled a video call with her best friend, so she would do that, have some dinner, and go to bed. It was a night for relaxing, not stressing over something that couldn’t possibly happen. She flicked the lights on and looked around. Still nothing. Ugh. She kicked off her shoes and headed towards her living room, dropping back onto the couch with a huff. She shut her eyes, pinching and massaging the bridge of her nose for a moment.

This was going to drive her insane. She knew that the man’s death wasn’t her fault, but knowing something she created was the cause of his death still bothered her. She opened her eyes and stared at the bare ceiling of her apartment, then glancing over to the clock. 9:54 PM, which meant it was almost time for her video chat with Ajay. Her laptop was sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch, so all she had to do was sit up and grab it. After opening it and turning it on, she began typing to her friend. After a few sent messages, she heard the ringing of the video call, answering it immediately. 

⦚ “Hey Nat— Oh, yikes. Yuh look exhausted!” ⦚

“Hey! I,” Natalie paused and tried to squint and look at herself in the small corner of her monitor. “Do I? Must be that I’m still feeling that jet lag.”

⦚ “Mmhmm. Ya know I’m not gonna believe that. Come on, what’s on yuh mind.” ⦚

There was nothing she could do or say that would convince her best friend otherwise, and besides, the last thing she wanted to do was lie to her. 

“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I guess I’m still a little upset over the whole… Yakuza situation. I mean, what if something does happen to me?”

⦚ “Awhh, Nat. Yuh know that it wasn’t your fault. Who knows if the guy that was killed was even part of ‘em? Yuh got to stop worryin’ about this kind of stuff!” ⦚

As much as she wanted to believe her, something just wasn’t sitting right. It wasn’t often that she counted on gut feelings as she relied more on her intelligence, but this time it was something she couldn’t brush off. 

“Maybe. Maybe you’re right,” She spoke with another sigh, resting her face in her hands, elbows on her knees. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start this call like this.” 

⦚ “Quit sighin’ so much. This isn’t your fault, how many times do I gotta tell yuh that? Just talk to me about something else, yeah? How’s the food there?” ⦚

From that point on, the conversation strayed away from anything even remotely regarding the death of the Yakuza member. They spoke about their daily lives, what Natalie’s new job was like, the cuisine around the city, and sights that she had gotten to see within her first week there. They chatted for over an hour, with her getting a late night snack mid-way through, before Natalie felt exhaustion beginning to hit her. Ajay noticed immediately and encouraged her to get a good night’s rest, and she couldn’t really see a point in arguing against the idea of sleeping. 

After saying their goodbyes, the blonde put away her laptop and prepared herself for bed. Washing her face, brushing her teeth, and getting her pajamas laid out on the bed. Having such a lengthy conversation with her best friend left her feeling slightly recharged, even after a long day of socializing with her co-workers. It also meant her guard was left down, but why would she need to be alert? Her worries had been put to ease.

Perhaps she should’ve listened to those gut feelings. As she exited her bathroom to grab her clothes to change, something grabbed her _. _ No, not something,  _ someone. _ Before she could even react with a noise or even a yelp, a rough hand was covering her mouth, the man’s other arm grasping her tightly around her waist. In his hand was a gun, which had the safety on, but that wasn’t to her knowledge. Natalie felt panic swell within her and her first reaction was to open her mouth, getting a portion of his hand in her mouth and biting down as hard as she possibly could.

_ “Shit!” _ The man growled.

Natalie was able to break out of his grasp, turning just in time for the butt of the pistol to crack against her cheek. Just as she began to pass out, black crowding her vision, she got a glance to see that the man’s sleeves were rolled up. His skin was multi-colored, but she slumped to the floor before she could even process what that meant.

_ “Damn, did you really have to hit her that hard?” _ A second voice.

The first man who she had bitten was shaking his hand out, examining it to see droplets of blood peeking from the canine marks.

_ “Does it really matter? I didn’t expect for such a small girl to bite so hard.” _

_ “It will matter to him if you just gave her brain damage. Then what use is she to us?” _

_ “Hm. Whatever, we have her. Pass me the ropes.” _

It’s the last thing she remembers as something is being placed over her head, her world going dark before blacking out completely. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

_?? - ?? _

The first thing Natalie noticed as she began to regain consciousness was how dry her mouth was. What happened? Any attempts to move her arm were pointless, feeling something tight binding her wrists together, cutting off her circulation. Whatever it was, it was restraining her completely, and she was in a rather uncomfortable position. She next tried to open her eyes, though struggled more to open her right one. There was a throbbing ache that pierced through her skull, radiating from her upper cheekbone and spreading up to beneath her eye. The room she was in was dimly lit, but any light at all only aggravated the oncoming migraine. 

_ “You’re awake finally. Excellent. We can begin.” _

While she fully understood whatever this man was saying, she could only squint at him, blinking repeatedly. 

_ “Damn it, I told you. You shouldn’t have hit her.” _

_ “What was I supposed to do? Let her bite me and scream?” _

Scream. That’s what she had to do. She licked over her dry lips, swallowing hard and opening her mouth. Before she could do anything, a lean man with sharp eyebrows, caught her and raised his pistol in a threatening manner, causing her to flinch away and whimper.

_ “Oy! Don’t even think about making a sound little girl. Nobody can hear you from here, so it’s pointless. You’ll just be annoying.” _

Now that she thought of it, where was she? She took a look around the room, noticing that she wasn’t in an abandoned warehouse or anything. In fact, it looked like it was a room to a rather well kept housing unit. It was, however, mostly bare aside from a few traditional paintings on the walls as well as the chair she was obviously tied to. As her eyes traveled the room, one of the men snapped his fingers in her face to get her attention back to them. She locked on to the portion of his forearm that she could see from his half rolled up sleeves. The tattoos.

This… These people… The Yakuza had really gotten her. 

  
  


_ “Over here,” _ One of the men demanded for her attention, thick fingers snapping once again. He was taller than the other one with a broader chest and bigger in build than most of the others standing around.  _ “You listen close because I’m only going to tell you once. You are going to hand over all the plans you have developed for weapons, plans that could be constructed into weapons, and any information you have about Syndicate. Got it?” _

Oh she understood, but she couldn’t believe what he was saying. She was going to respond back to him, but there was no way she could turn any of that information over, for multiple reasons. None of her plans were specifically made for weapons, and she couldn’t bear the thought that someone else was going to be using her altered devices as weapons.

_ “I _ _ —I can’t do th-at,”  _ Natalie stuttered out in weak Japanese,  _ “I don’t understand, I didn’t do anything wrong! I don’t know anything about Syndic—” _

The Omega was cut off short as the man backhanded her across the mouth, luckily not using his weapon but he had sharp jewelry, one of his rings slicing her lower lip. Natalie had a fairly high pain tolerance, but the sting of the hit was intense and caused her to cry out, her eyes watering and her body shuddering from it. 

_ “I said I wasn’t going to repeat myself. None of this is an option, you  _ will _ tell us what we want to know.” _

The larger Alpha was growling at this point, clearly put up with this. While many of the members were being patient and even respectful as they stood off to the side, it was clear, neither of these men were going to tolerate anything from her. Even if they had taken care of the man who committed the crime, they still held her partly responsible for their brother’s death. 

_ “You Omegas are all the same. Pitiful, weak, and acting like you’re innocent. It’s disgusting, and it’s exactly why you should never be given a place of power.”  _ The man glanced over to his brother before pulling out a small bronze handgun from behind his back, pointing it toward her and aiming at her head.  _ “If you’re not gonna talk, I might as well use your mouth for something. Open." _

Natalie blinked, trying to comprehend what he meant before he angrily pulled back the slide, pressing the gun up against her temple with a snarl. 

_ “I said open, and keep it open.”  _

The sound of the gun loading was harsh in her ears, the loud jarring noise making panic well up inside of her. Not wanting to get shot, she did as he commanded and opened her mouth, the split in her bottom lip opening a tad from the stretch, but that pain would be nothing compared to death. Noticing that Natalie was still in her work clothes, a light blue button-up dress shirt and a light grey long skirt. While she normally switched clothing at her work when she worked in the lab, this is what she wore when she arrived and what she switched back to when she was heading home. The jacket for her outfit was missing since she had clearly hung it up, but that certainly didn’t matter to him.

With his free hand, he reached down to grasp at her collar, feeling the material and then trailing his fingers down to the first button. Licking over his lips, he began to unbutton her top, slowly and savoring each moment and shuddering breath from the Omega. He stopped once most of her upper body was exposed and he could clearly see her bra, making him smirk at the sight below him. He then reached between them to grab his belt buckle, fiddling with it before pulling it free. Natalie’s eyes had been averted up to this point, but then watched for a second before she realized where this was going, causing her to hold her breath for a moment as her eyes widened in fear.

He continued unbuttoning his pants and then reached down to pull his dick free from his boxers. Just as he did that, Natalie held back a choking sob, immediately shutting her eyes and managing to keep from seeing anything. She kept her mouth open, however, even if she could feel an ache in her jaw that was begging her to keep it shut. She wasn’t even sure if she could talk to take back what she said now, but she wasn’t going to risk it. Even then, just as she said before, she had no information on Syndicate to give them. She had barely started working there and they more or less just funded her own personal experiments and gave her small tasks to complete.

_ “This will teach you a lesson.” _

He grabbed near the base of his dick and gave it a few strokes, spreading his legs so he could walk forward and stand right near her face. Natalie could generally feel his presence getting closer, causing her breathing to quicken as she panicked while nausea started to churn in her stomach. This was really going to happen, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. 

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_ Chiyoda, Tokyo - Fukuda Household  _

_ 18 Minutes Prior _

By now, Natalie had been captured and brought back to their household, in a room that was most likely temporarily arranged for questioning. If the Yakuza were to prepare an actual execution or went to rough someone up, it would be somewhere entirely different. The oyabun had planned for this electrical engineer to simply work for them, which wasn’t going to be an option for her. The worst that could happen would be if the scientist said no, but they would deal with that if it came down to it.

Ren had no specific business regarding this, even if she was curious, it was not for her to look over. That was until her father had just pulled her aside into his private work room for a few moments. He got her to sit while going to his desk, going through a couple files and papers as he began to speak.

_ “I am going to need you to be the overseer for the scientist we are bringing in. I currently have my hands full with Syndicate as well as some other things.” _

As second in command, Ren was given plenty of large tasks to handle, always coming out with positive results. As the years passed, she was always given more and more things to do as one day she was expected to become the head of this clan. So, knowing he would explain more, she simply gave a short nod and kept her focus on him.

_ “We want to keep her with us. Our goal is to get her to work as our personal electrical engineer, constructing anything that we may so desire, even if it is not weapons. It would be good to keep her under our control.” _

Her? Not that she was judging whatsoever, but she assumed that the scientist working for Syndicate was a man, having been so highly praised from what she heard. It was simply unusual, but again, there was no judgement from her.

_ “I want you to make sure she agrees to stay with us, to do as we order her to, and to keep her in line. She is your responsibility now, until we can be sure that she will not give out our information. I understand this may seem like a task I could assign to any of your brothers, but this requires more… Delicacy. I am entrusting you with something that I believe could change how we function with our devices and technology. Something so large could only be given to my second. Do you understand?” _

_ “Yes.” _ It was a short, simple answer, something Ren knew was what he expected from her.

_ “Good,”  _ He gave a short grunt before sliding over some files over his desk towards her,  _ “These are the files of information that we could gather from her. Read them over. Two of your brothers have already retrieved her and have begun the interrogation process. They’re in our second interrogation room, so I suggest you make sure that everything is going over smoothly.” _

With another short nod, Ren stood up and took the files from off his desk, bowing before exiting his room. As she walked towards the room where the interrogation was being held, she took her time with slow steps and opened up the files. Her eyes scanned the pages, reading over the basic information. Name, age, gender, status as an Omega, previous residencies, nationality, and all of the boring things she couldn’t really bother with at the moment. 

Once she came upon the room, Ren was able to peer inside. The door was left slightly ajar, revealing some of the occupants within and what she saw immediately made her seethe with anger. She remained calm, pulling aside the door the rest of the way before stepping inside. Every member suddenly turned to her, recognizing her instantly and bowing their head in her direction, with one exception. The man holding the gun to the girls head, with his dick still in his hand, looked at her with a flash of annoyance before realizing his mistake and bowed his head, although a little stiffly. 

She knew this one. He wasn’t one of her direct underlines, but a shatei-gashira under another one of her brothers. One that she had many issues with how he controlled his kobun but it wasn’t something she was able to argue against for the sole reason it would make her appear weak. So while it was something she could easily lash out over and have it excused, it would make no sense as this was their hostage. A random Omega who had indirectly been the cause of the death of someone in their family. To be enraged and to show it now would only cause more issues.

_ “Do you really think you're going to intimidate anybody with that pathetic worm?”  _ Ren questioned, keeping as much aggravation out from her tone as possible.

_ “My apologies. She wasn’t responding to our questions—” _

_ “So you think shoving your dick in her mouth is going to give any results?” _

Silence. Natalie couldn’t bring herself to look when the new voice had entered, although she was doing her best to keep her breathing steady and quiet, even if she could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. The next thing she heard was a bit of shuffling as the Alpha in front of her had stepped back, putting everything back into place and zipping up his pants. 

_ “Of course an Alpha like you would stoop to such pathetic measures such as this to get an Omega to talk. Your brain is as tiny as your dick. What do you think would happen if our oyabun came by and saw what you were doing? Hmm? Do you think he would tolerate such vulgar actions that he did not command?” _

_ “No. My deepest apologies once again.”  _ The man’s voice was stiff still, averting his eyes away from Ren as he knew not to speak back to someone that held so much more power than him.

_ “You wouldn’t know respect and sensibility if it stared you in the face. Bring the Omega to me. I’ll get her to talk.”  _

Ultimately, Natalie was able to open her eyes at the last moment, allowing her mouth to close as she understood what was happening. Or at least she somewhat understood. She only got a glance to the woman who had commanded the members, clearly holding some sort of supremacy over them. Ren gave one last look to the members as they bowed to her, then meeting the Omega’s gaze for an instant before exiting the room.

Even though they had only met eyes for an instant, Natalie could tell that there was something different within this Alpha than the others. Reading subtle indicators to moods and emotions was not something she had any talent in doing, but this was simply a gut feeling. The specifics of what she caught was not given to her, so she could only be thankful that this stranger stopped what was going to be another traumatic moment stacked on the others.

Next, she felt one of the men untying her feet from the chair, grabbing her by her upper arm and forcing her to stand. She could only whimper as the muscles in her legs felt wobbly, making her stumble before she was able to stand upright. With that, he pushed her forwards and out of the room, taking her down a series of hallways. Wherever she was, appeared to be immaculate and well designed, yet simple. It was large for a typical Japanese home, with lengthy hallways, multiple rooms and two stories. The walls were a cream color with dark rich accents, the same as the floor. While there wasn’t an abundance of decorations, what was able to be seen from her trip throughout the house consisted of fine traditional Japanese scrolls and statues. 

Eventually, they reached two large doors with engravings in the front of them. Outlining the doors was a delicate floral design with a black lotus on either side. While up above them, with a gold inlay, was the name and title of who the room belonged to Wakagashira Ren. Before opening it, the second member that had come along knelt down with rope in hand and tied her ankles together, far tighter than what was necessary and similar to her wrists. Once he was satisfied that they were secured, one of them pulled open the door before shoving her in, causing her to trip and land on her side, knocking the wind out of her.

The door slammed shut and she was left in the room by herself, no sight of the woman who had ordered her to be brought here. Although she was alone, she couldn’t bring herself to cry it out just yet. It was still pointless, and would only risk getting her beaten again for causing problems. With a bit of struggling, she managed to sit upwards and on her knees, panting softly as she looked around. 

The interior of the room seemed to match the rest of the house with the exception of a solid grey tiled floor instead of the wood flooring, and a large white rug in the middle. The bed that was against the far wall was Kind sized with a luxurious comforter and a single blanket beneath it. Various pillows were decorated against the headboard, although it was clear that only one or two were favored for this person to sleep with. The furniture was simple as well, only consisting of a dresser, night stand and a cushioned chair in the opposite corner. The only two doors within that she could see most likely led to a personal bathroom and a closet. Whoever’s room this was clearly had a standing of importance within the clan.

Natalie couldn’t let her guard down. For all she knew, she was brought here for the exact same reason: This Alpha wanted to have her to herself instead. Whatever the case was, she wasn’t sure how much more fight she had left in her. As much as she hated showing it, she was weak. Physically, though, and occasionally mentally. This weakness was going to be the end of her, she was sure of it. Whether that end was going to be sooner or later she didn’t know, but she could only hope that now was not her end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was actually pretty fun to write, despite the harsh themes. This only shows what sort of graphic things you may or may not see in the future. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 3: Improper Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is finally revealed to Natalie what the reasoning behind her kidnapping was. The offer given to her isn't exactly one she can refuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warning tags for this chapter.  
> It's a bit lengthier than the other chapters we posted, so enjoy!

_Chiyoda, Tokyo - Fukuda Household_

_Ren’s Private Quarters_

The situation that had just gone down needed to be reported, at least to some extent. Bothering the oyabun with something like this would only serve to anger him. Ren had handled the situation and would now have to simply report the incident to the shatei-gashira who commanded the poor excuse of an alpha that she had just dealt with. Rape wasn’t something that they punished, but it was discouraged in their clan. On the other hand, it was never commanded as a formal order, which meant that any clan member who attempted any sexual assault would be disciplined.

Ren occupied herself by doing that first, although she was excited to get back to her room knowing that Natalie was there. No, excited wasn’t the right word. Eager? Impatient? She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but something about this girl interested her. Either way, she needed to remain composed around her, knowing that trust wasn’t going to be something that was easily earned. No matter what she thought of herself and the high standards she held herself to, Natalie didn’t know anything about her, which made her a stranger and a threat— Just like everyone else in the clan.

After the quick, yet displeasing, discussion with her brother, Ren made her way down the hallways back towards her room. She did her best to keep her walking pace unrushed, but knew that the longer she spent away from the Omega, the worst the situation might end up being. Luckily, due to how late it was, the halls were relatively vacant, allowing for the way back to be uninterrupted. As she approached the door, she listened for a moment, only hearing faint, labored breathing from the other side. This served as a reminder to her that she needed to be gentle with her. Going through what she had in less than a day was overwhelming for anybody.

Pushing open the door, Ren got to see the girl laying on her side, on the floor and still restrained by her wrists and ankles. Natalie wasn’t struggling to break free whatsoever, but it did seem like she was in a rather uncomfortable position. The Alpha remained silent as she closed the door behind her, sliding off her light coat and hanging it on a nearby hook on the wall. Keep calm, keep professional. Too much kindness could be taken the wrong way, and she had a job to do. Instead of immediately going to her aid, Ren walked past and headed to her dresser and mirror.

Rolling up her sleeves, she began to take off her jewelry and accessories. First being the heavy gold watch that she always carried with her; a gift given to her by her father after being appointed as the wakagashira. Each ring she took off had a place on a ceramic figure of a hand, carefully sliding each ring onto the fingers. Natalie remained silent the entire time, only able to stare at the back of Ren’s button-up. The next thing she knew, the other was finished with their organizing and walked over to her, kneeling down and looking over her. The only thing that wasn’t restrained on her was her mouth, but screaming was off the list of options. Striking up a conversation didn’t seem like the right thing to do either.

  
  
A surprisingly warm hand went beneath her line of sight, a thumb pressing against her chin as the Alpha got a gentle grip on her face. Natalie kept herself from flinching at the touch, but felt her limbs tremble involuntarily. Light blue eyes scanned over her face, focusing on the gash and bruise across her cheek, the blackened eye, and the split in her lip. It was sickening, and Ren couldn’t help but let a twinge of her disgust show on her face by the subtle downwards turn of her lips. This woman was gorgeous, and from the sounds of it, more intelligent than anyone she had ever known. To think she was hurt by a careless brute from her own clan only forced anger to boil in her stomach once again, but there was no time to be frustrated, any negative thoughts would only come across in her scent and she needed it to remain neutral.

“Let’s get you off the floor,” Ren finally spoke. English. The Alpha knew English. The electrician remained stiff as the other moved some, reaching and untying the ropes from around her ankles. Once she was free, she was helped up from the ground, being led over to the bed so she could sit on the edge. The bed was plenty tall, leaving Natalie’s feet hanging just a few inches above the floor. 

“Is that better?” 

“No.”

The response was quiet, but quick and straight to the point. Natalie held her breath after speaking, and Ren only glanced down to her lips again, eyes narrowing a bit. At least she was being honest. She let out a soft huff in response, looking down once again and noticing that the buttons to Natalie’s shirt were mostly undone. Ren was not someone who was unfamiliar with being perceived as charming to other Omegas. Even with being a criminal, many female Omegas took an immediate liking to her.

The tattoos, the muscles, the dark gazes and sharp jawline. Even her scent could be described as intoxicating. The Alpha prided herself on taking care of her mind and body as much as possible, which included grooming and looking her best. Women just fell into her arms, and nobody could really blame her. There wasn’t an Omega she’s ever met that wasn’t at least interested in her a little bit, so she was used to doing as she pleased and her actions were perceived as either flirtatious or kind.

This meant that Ren didn’t expect a negative reaction when she took it upon herself to step closer to the blonde, with one leg moving slightly between Natalies as she reached down to grasp at the front of her shirt, sliding her thumb against the edge of the fabric until she found a button. While it was unintentional for her to be invading her space, what happened next was completely unpredictable. It could be described as a knee-jerk reaction. Literally.

Out of instinct and fear of what would happen if Ren continued, Natalie’s leg shoved upwards as hard as she could. Ren was in the perfect position for the knee to connect directly to her crotch, making her grit her teeth and jerk backwards as she fell to her knees. 

“Oh— Oh my god,” Gasped Natalie, “ Wait, no, no. _I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to!_ ”

It was clear that she was panicking over something like this, even though she had done it out of what she thought was self defense. Fighting back like this could result in a punishment that could be worse than what she just had to deal with. Angering an Alpha such as them would not be a wise decision for anyone. 

Ren was hunched over now, with one hand on her own thigh, the other covering the now incredibly tender area.

_“Shit,”_ Ren hissed out, exhaling and inhaling slowly as she tried to gather herself. _“I was trying to help.”_

_“Yes, I know, I’m. I’m so sorry, please forgive me I,”_ Natalie stumbled out quickly in Japanese, voice quivering. _“I don’t know what I was thinking.”_

Whether or not it was intentional, Ren had to be more cautious around her now that she knew she could be startled so easily. It was partially her own fault, but she wasn’t going to admit that. With a low growl, she stood upright and turned to the Omega, eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched as she did her best to ignore the throbbing pain.

_“Don’t move.”_

It was a simple command, but it did nothing but fuel Natalie’s fears. Her breathing quickened as Ren grabbed her, turning her around on the bed so she was now laying on her stomach. It was done effortlessly, exhibiting the amount of strength that the Alpha truly had. Ren got up on the bed and straddled the back of her legs, eyes catching the reddened skin of her wrists. The ropes had been tied too tight, and even with minimal struggling, the skin was raw and near bleeding. 

While Natalie laid there, she didn’t fight back this time, assuming the worst. Natalie had already apologized, and there wasn’t much else she could do. Begging even more to be forgiven would probably just be seen as annoying, so instead she bit down hard on her tongue to keep herself quiet as she was pushed into the bed. The metallic tang of blood hit her, knowing she was biting her tongue far too hard now, but she couldn’t stop herself from holding it like that. 

Natalie whimpered out, shutting her eyes until she felt nothing but the ropes being taken off. Even so, she kept her arms behind her back, except from the slight adjustment of her hands from the rope being gone. The vague nature of the Alpha’s scent made Natalie nervous as she was unable to determine the true nature behind her actions and what she might really want with her. She was still basically hyperventilating through her nose, body beginning to quiver with fear of the unknown. 

This gave Ren the opportunity to lean down a bit to examine the injury more, to which she was at least satisfied that it didn’t seem like anything serious. A bit of ointment and the skin would be healed within the week. The other injuries, though, were on another level that she could not determine. The issue that came up now was that this poor girl was going to scare herself to death, but she could blame part of that on herself as well. Ren knew how intimidating and frightening she could be, and while she was attractive, she wasn’t exactly the most graceful or smooth. Her appeal of first impressions came purely from looks.

  
  


Being this close to her gave her the ability to get a whiff of the Omega’s scent, although it was rather unpleasant. Not to say that it was disgusting, but some sort of feeling arose in Ren at this. She paused as she listened to the girl pant and tremble beneath her. This wasn’t something she was familiar with, but she had heard about it and read about it. Natalie was stressed to the point that it translated over to her scent, although it didn’t do much to help her.

The stressful scent that came from Omegas, and occasionally Alphas, was simply a warning that they were not fit to be approached. It would also call over their mate to ask for assistance, although it was clear this was more common from Omegas. Ren lifted a hand, about to rest it on Natalie’s upper back before she realized what she was doing. She blinked and frowned, pulling her hand away and clenching her fist. Her instincts were telling her that she needed to do something to fix this, but it was obvious that her presence was only aggravating Natalie. Sighing, she tried to clear her head and speak more calmly. 

“No more kicking. I have no intention of hurting you. I just need you to cooperate. You’re only making the situation worse.” Ren’s English was astounding and the pronunciation was almost flawless, minus her light accent. Her voice was pleasing as well and under different circumstances, could be described as soothing. 

“Okay.”

Satisfied with her answer, Ren got off of her and slid off the bed to stand. Natalie finally used her arms to push herself up, sitting now and turning to face her while trying to take steadier breaths. It didn’t take long for her tongue to stop bleeding as she just barely broke the surface of it, but it still left her mouth feeling uncomfortable. Almost as if reading her mind, the dark haired woman walked over to a small table set up with various bottled drinks and snacks. Grabbing two water bottles, she went back over and held one out to Natalie.

“What’s your name?” 

Obviously Ren already knew the answer to that question, but she figured that it was a better way to start out things. Natalie, on the other hand, was hesitant to take the bottled water, and was a bit stunned that the other could jump right into simple questions as if they were meeting for the first time. She still couldn’t find herself saying anything, and instead kept her gaze on the bottle that she now held in her lap. 

_‘Disobedient brat,’_ Ren thought with a slight frown. No wonder the other members were having such a difficult time getting anything out of her, especially if she wouldn’t even give out her name. The least she could have done was take her offer of kindness and drink some water. She turned and instead went to sit on one of the cushioned chairs in her room, being a bit slower than normal so as to not hurt her sore area.

It was clear that Natalie was being reluctant to drink the water first as if it was laced with something. With a sigh, she opened the bottle she had grabbed for herself, drinking more than half before leaning forward with her elbows on her knees and the bottle hanging loosely in her fingers. Thankfully Natalie noticed and watched before she shakily cracked open the bottle, lifting it to her lips and taking a few, long drinks. 

Even though she was reluctant to accept her hospitality and was being disrespectful to the one person in this place that was trying to help her, Ren kept her tone smooth and calm, and even went so far as to avoid looking toward her until she fixed her shirt.

“You have plenty of fight in you. That’s good. Next time you should use that on people who are actually trying to take advantage of you.”

There was some pettiness in her tone, but she knew that it wasn’t entirely Natalie’s fault that she couldn’t fight back the other member seeing as how her legs had actually been tied to the chair legs. Something about what Ren said finally made the girl snap and talk back.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t be here. Just because the technology was created by me doesn’t mean I was the one to do it. Please, I didn’t kill one of your members. Let me go.”

With a deep sigh, Ren leaned back in her chair and met Natalie’s gaze for a few moments. The eye contact only lasted briefly before the Omega stared back down to her hands that wrung at the plastic bottle. Even from this distance, the stressful scent from her came off in waves. It was strong enough that Ren could feel the muscles in her leg tense up, ready to stand to take care of her as if it was her duty. It was awkward to know that for once, an Omega wasn’t interested and immediately calmed by her being there.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you go, but there is some good news. We aren’t looking to punish you, we know that the incident wasn’t your fault. This is just to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again,” Ren was cut off by a suddenly startled Omega.

“You’re going to kill me? Or— Or are you threatening me to stop working? I can’t stop working, if that’s what you’re asking me to do. Electrical engineering is my passion, and my life,” She’s speaking as if she deserved some sympathy from this Yakuza member, “It’s the only thing I have left that reminds me of— I, no.”

“Stop,” Ren spoke out firmly, raising a hand up to shush her. “Nothing like that. I am not threatening you with death. We want you to work for us, and only us. You’re a brilliant scientist, and by keeping you with us, we can make sure that no other member of ours is killed by your work. This includes making sure that innocent people aren’t also dragged into this situation by stolen plans.”

What? How could she do this? Natalie was sure she was hearing this wrong, but she remained quiet to hear the further explanation. 

“Syndicate clearly isn’t safe enough for you. Within what, two weeks of working there? Your plans had been stolen and repurposed carelessly. As long as you serve the Fukuda clan, we will take expert care to make sure that your designs are only used for their intended purpose. That being said,” Ren swished around the bottle of water in her hand. “We will have you design weapons for us. Occasionally. We hardly need many weapons other than to threaten people with, but weapons powered by electricity are far more efficient than something as messy as guns or knives.”

Natalie frowned as the other continued, but knew that this wasn’t something that was just being offered up to her. While creating weapons for a gang wasn’t something she had within her career plans, there were parts of this that simply made sense. Ren hadn’t mentioned that the weapons she created would have to be deadly, and she knew perfectly well on how to control the charges of any device. 

“Even if you want me here, I’m no expert on creating weapons. It’s not anything I’ve focused on, but,” The water bottle crinkled beneath her fingertips as she gripped it harder. “I can do it. I suppose I don’t have a choice anyways.”

Hearing her say something as defeated as that struck something within Ren, although her expression showed no remorse. This was just business. After this encounter, Natalie would simply be working underneath them and with their other scientists. There wouldn’t be any more interactions and she could simply push the guilt to the back of her mind. 

“You will be protected while you stay here. There is no safer place in this city than here.” 

Even with the promise, Natalie’s anxiety hardly lowered. Who knew what the restrictions and rules would be? Was she allowed to leave the house? Was she going to have to still buy and prepare her own food, or what? Where was she supposed to stay now? 

“What does this mean for me? What exactly am I going to do now?”

“We have arrangements for anything you’re worried about. Your apartment and bills have been taken care of, as well as your previous job. Everything will remain untouched so that you may return when the time comes. We should have a room prepared for you tomorrow. Until then, you will be staying in my room. ”

That was partially a lie. The room could be prepared for her within the hour, but the lie was accidental. Ren knew that this could be done, but something about her scent was commanding the Alpha in her to stick around a bit longer until this Omega felt safe. Unfortunately, Natalie didn’t look immediately pleased that she’d be staying with her. Even if the bed was enormous, sharing it was the last thing she wanted to do. 

“Don’t worry, you can have the bed to yourself. I will stay over here the entire night. Now,” She stood up with a grunt, walking over to another engraved door, sliding it open to reveal the bathing room. She barely reached past the door and flicked a switch, turning on the dim lighting. “You’re free to take a bath before you sleep.”

“What about my clothes? And my other belongings?”

“The bathroom has whatever you may need to sleep in, just for tonight. My yukata is in there and you are welcome to wear it. After, I will have you make a list of everything essential that was left at your apartment, or at your job. We will retrieve it and have it in your room by tomorrow as well.”

Once the offer was made, Ren went back to her chair, and Natalie only looked to the opened door now. There was nothing else for her to do, and a hot bath did sound nice. She moved slowly, almost as if making any noise would cause something bad to happen. She stood up, using the bed to keep her balance and Ren had to restrain herself from getting up to help her. Natalie glanced back at her before walking towards the bathing room, peeking in before stepping in.

It was almost like introducing a fawn to the world, cautious of everything around them and wobbly. Ren had to allow her to regain control of whatever small things she could so she could feel more comfortable in this environment. The door slid shut and she sighed, hoping the girl wouldn’t take a suspicious amount of time to take her bath.

────── 〔✿〕──────

The bathroom was much larger than what Natalie could have imagined for a single bedroom and though the standing of the Alpha in the other room was obviously in a very high position, this was impressive. The entire floor was made of a beautiful pale tile, raised above the entrance way, that perfectly mimicked the wooden texture that you would find in a full bath house while the walls accented everything very nicely with a darker gray. There was a large sunken bathtub made out of black marble and across from it was a shower and a sink. Another door was to her immediate right, likely where the separated toilet was. 

Even though this was a private bathroom, the bathtub itself could easily hold multiple people. There were clean, folded towels set up on one of the shelves that she took and set near the edge of the tub for her to reach easily when she was done. It didn’t take long for her to figure out how the entire thing worked, turning on the water to a comfortable temperature that was on the warmer side before putting the plug in. 

Stripping off her clothes was more difficult than usual seeing as how her body felt rather sore. She had no idea as to what happened to her in the time period between her being kidnapped from her house and transported to this location. Clearly they weren’t very cautious with what they did with her body. As her clothes dropped to the floor, Natalie was already able to spot a few bruises beginning to form on the side of one thigh. 

Who knew how many more of those would form in the next day? As the tub filled up, Natalie walked over to the mirror above the sink. She reached up and tenderly brushed over her bottom lip, then up to her cheek and across the gash. With how her head was pounding and the sensitivity to even the low lights, she was sure she had a minor concussion of some sorts. She wasn’t sure if it was within her rights to do so, but she would have to request a doctor to examine her just to be sure. 

Once the tub was filled sufficiently, she turned the faucet off and stepped in. The quiet ripples of water were satisfying, but she could feel her ankles stinging from the water touching her rope burns. Eventually she was able to lower herself entirely into the tub, sighing and leaning against a side. At this moment, it was like a small slice of heaven. Natalie allowed herself to slide down some until the water just barely touched her chin. 

Soaking for a long time sounded like a fantastic idea, but she also didn’t want Ren barging in if she took too long. So after only a short five minutes, she used the soaps and shampoo provided by the side of the tub to clean herself off. Once finished, she pulled the plug to drain the tub and stepped out, using two separate towels to clean herself off with; one towel being used to dry her hair and the other one for her body.

As she looked around the room, her eyes caught the yukata that Ren had mentioned. It was a deep, royal blue garment in a rather high quality material. It was accented with expert gold stitching, and there was an embroidered dragon design on the back of it. It was overly elegant for only an evening yukata. Simple, monotone colors were usually worn by males and the bright, colorful yukatas were usually worn by women. However, in this society, it wasn’t uncommon for female Alphas to wear masculine fashioned yukata, and for male Omegas to wear more colorful ones. It was also based on personal preference, which this yukata was clearly personally tailored for Ren. 

Before going to it, she folded the towels and set them on the floor, then going to her own clothes to fold them. While she knew she should wear something beneath the yukata, there was no way she was going to wear her underwear for a second night in a row. She knew that it was essentially a longer bathrobe, and so long as she was able to get under the covers of the bed, she had nothing to worry about. 

As she took the yukata from its place, she took a moment to admire the custom design on it before putting it on. It almost felt wrong to wear something so gorgeous, but it had been offered to her. Natalie had never worn one before, but had read up about it when doing her own research on Japan’s culture. Remembering the steps, she folded the left side over the top of the right. It was a bit large and loose on her, but she was able to use the band and tied it around her waist tight enough to make up for it. While it wasn’t perfect, it was better than nothing. She thought she did a pretty decent job at putting it on correctly for someone who hadn’t worn one before.

There wasn’t anything else for her to do in the bathroom, and she knew it meant she had to go back out, but she didn’t really want to. It was better for her to go out rather than to be forced, so she gathered her folded clothes and went to the door, opening it and turning off the lights as she exited.

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

When the bathroom door shut, Ren sat stiffly for only a few seconds more until the scent of the Omega faded. She let her shoulders fall while the tension in her body started to dissipate. It was clear that the blonde wasn't taking to her like any other Omega, and she didn't need an Alpha to watch over her like a guard dog. Ren needed to let it go and stop hovering if she wanted her to relax around her. 

There was nothing else for her to do other than to make a few calls to other members to make sure that all of the arrangements could be made. The list hadn’t been made yet, but she could guess already what basic things she would ask for. Ren decided that she would take it upon herself to go along with a few of her brothers to personally retrieve her items so that the whole thing would go over smoothly. 

Right as she sent the last text message, she heard the door open and sat up straight, placing her phone in her pocket before looking up to take notice of the blonde. It was at that moment, that for the first time Ren felt stunned in the presence of an Omega. The Alpha was unable to pull her gaze away from the girl. Natalie was already beautiful, but the way that she looked in her yukata pleased her. The blue was darker than her eyes, but it still managed to bring out the color in her irises. Blonde hair was perfectly accentuated by the gold stitching, and the way the fabric sat a little loosely around her shoulders made Ren's breath catch in her throat. 

Ren was finding it difficult to tear her gaze away, but in the end she managed to redirect her attention to be more respectful; more or less pretending she wasn't just staring at her the entire time like a dumbstruck Alpha. After all, the Omega is in a fragile state and she needs to keep reminding herself that. Natalie was still technically their hostage, and making any moves on her was out of the question. Even compliments may be too much for her to handle, so she swallowed the words before they could be spoken.

Thankfully, Natalie didn’t seem to notice as she walked back over to the bed and sat back down in the same exact spot she was sitting before. Standing up and going over to her dresser, Ren pulled out a pen and paper before walking to Natalie and holding it out to her. 

“Write down anything you need us to bring from your house. Try to be as specific as possible with more detailed items. There is no limit, so you can write as much as you need.”

Natalie nodded and took the pen and pad, taking the cap off the pen so she could immediately begin writing down things. Ren walked back to her chair, waiting patiently as the other worked. Natalie made sure to write in Japanese, even if it took her a bit longer than usual, she wasn’t sure who would be the one gathering her things. Some items were easier to write down, such as whatever clothes she had in her closet, dressers and drawers, and her messenger bag hanging from the wall. Other things included randomly placed notebooks, her laptop, and even her pillow and blanket. 

As she reached the end of the list, she hesitated for a moment before slowly writing down the description of the last item. It was a stuffed toy, Nessie. It was a gift from her mother from when she was just a child. It was all she had left of her as she couldn’t hardly remember her. It may seem silly to ask for, but it was the one comfort item she needed. Hopefully nothing would happen to it during transportation.

“Here. I’m done.”

Natale put the cap back on the pen and held out the paper. As she waited, she felt a yawn come over her, her free hand going to cover her mouth. She was genuinely surprised that she felt any sort of exhaustion after such a stressful time. At first she thought she wouldn’t be getting any sleep, but if Ren was going to do anything to her, she would have already done it, right?

As Ren took the notes, she briefly glanced over the list, amazed once again to see that not only could she speak perfect, fluent Japanese, but the girl wrote more properly than she did in her own native language. While it was odd to see someone speak and write so well that was obviously not native to Japan, it was more of a relief. Ren spoke English well of course, better than most if not all of the members but she wasn't perfect. When it came to making an impression she preferred to speak well so she didn't come off as stupid. Stumbling over her words wasn’t exactly the most impressive thing.

With a pull, the note was removed from the pad which was then folded neatly and placed into her pocket next to her phone. She walked over to put items back where they belonged and then approached the bed to pull back the blankets and sheets that were made up for her almost every day. 

_"You're tired. You should get some sleep."_

Tomorrow was going to be a long day, possibly for both of them and while the Omega shouldn’t go without sleep, Ren was used to it. Walking back, Ren held out her hand toward her once more. 

_"I'll discard those for you."_

There was no reason to keep the clothing any longer as clean clothes would be arriving tomorrow. Natalie gripped her clothes tight for a moment before slowly handing them over. It was the last thing that carried her own scent, but it was pointless and unreasonable to argue against it. As soon as the clothing left her hands, she felt stress nearly overwhelm her. She took in a quiet breath and turned to the middle of the bed and got under the bedsheets, bottling up any sorrowful emotions or tears that might’ve threatened her. Even with her expressions under control, her scent returned to a stressful one.

While Natalie settled into herself, Ren went to her bedroom door and set the clothing on the outside, knowing that it would be taken care of. As she turned to go back to her seat, she was hit with the Omega’s scent again, causing her nose to scrunch up. She had to keep her feet planted firmly to stop herself from rushing to her side. All she could see was her blonde hair peeking from the covers.

In a perfect world, she’d give in to those instincts. She’d go over to Natalie and slip beneath the covers, pulling her into a tight embrace, stroking her hair and rubbing down her back while she felt the Omega nuzzle beneath her chin. Her scent would return to normal and they would both relax and be able to sleep peacefully. But again, this wasn’t in some sort of alternate dimension where there wouldn’t be consequences to such awkward actions. 

It took Ren a few moments before she could confidently go over to her chair, knowing she wouldn’t give in to temptation. On her way back, she flicked off the switch to the main lights, leaving only a lowly lit lamp in the corner. With a soft sigh through her nose, she sat in the chair and leaned back. She’d be able to fall asleep like this, even if it was uncomfortable, but felt as though it was necessary that she remained awake for as much time as she could. After a few minutes of silence, Natalie spoke up.

“I know you know who I am. You know my name but,” She paused, her voice timid, “Can I know your name?”

Of course. How rude of her. She never introduced herself to the girl, but it wasn’t like they had any time to give proper introductions. 

“Fukuda Ren. Don’t worry about titles, Ren is fine.”

It was quiet once again, and it remained that way. Even with the distress she was under, the answer she received gave her a small peace of mind. After about twenty minutes, Ren noticed that the Omega’s breathing had finally slowed down and steadied out. She had fallen asleep. As much as she wanted to do the same, monitoring her was her top priority. It was going to be a long night, and the next day would be equally as long. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading! Don't forget to leave kudos if you haven't already and we hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	5. Chapter 4: A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie is finally getting moved in and accustomed to the place she was now going to have to call home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No explicit warnings in this chapter either. Enjoy!

_Chiyoda, Tokyo - Fukuda Household_

_6:20 AM_

Restless nights were no stranger to Ren, although it seemed this night wished to toss her around an extra amount. There were countless times where she woke up to even the subtlest sounds, most of them coming from Natalie. Most of the time it would just be a soft hum, or a shuffling of the blankets as she turned beneath them. Those moments were easy for Ren to ignore and go back to sleeping, but the disturbances were draining nonetheless.

Other times that kept her awake longer was when Natalie would blatantly whimper out, indistinct and something that could be written off as a soft sigh. While Ren would’ve normally thought she could ignore that as well, these few moments were when she could smell the Omega’s scent again; she was stressed and clearly having nightmares of some sort. Ren would hold the arms of the chair tightly, refusing to go to her side while waiting for the scent to fade. It was exhausting and as cruel as it may be, she hated it. 

No Alpha wished to feel helpless when close to an Omega, especially not Ren. She worked far too hard for her place of power, and even then there was doubt by some of the members in the clan. While being an Alpha helped substantially, she was still a woman. A majority of the immediate clan members that lived in her home were made up of Alpha males and occasional Omega males, hardly any females to begin with. Alpha females were usually living in other districts, but she’s met a few.

The point was that Alphas didn’t listen to Omegas. They were beneath them, simply there to produce offspring and raise families. To carry on the bloodline of a strong, capable Alpha male or female. Omegas obeyed commands, especially within clans. So to think that this random Omega that was forced into _her_ home was keeping her on her toes made something twist in her stomach. Just because Natalie was stressed over the situation that was out of both of their hands didn’t mean that Ren was obligated to take care of her.

Morning came far too soon for Ren’s liking, but she had a busy day ahead of her. So when even the smallest bit of light began to peak from the curtains, she decided to get herself ready. There was no point in sitting around any longer when there was work to be done. As quietly as possible, she retrieved a spare set of clothes before heading down to the lower level baths for a shower.

It wasn’t her normal routine by any means but she didn’t want to risk waking the Omega. She always was awake before any others and so it came as no surprise that the room was clear and free for use. As she walked through the halls, she placed a few calls to let some of her brothers know how to proceed and then sent a text of the list of items Natalie had written down to be picked up before setting her phone down to shower.

The entire affair was quick, with a simple cleansing her body in the shower and then once done, dried herself and her hair off with the room’s provided towel. While she would have taken longer, the more idle moments allowed her mind to wander back to the Omega in her room too often and she didn’t need the distraction. With her hair dried enough to her satisfaction, she spied her own reflection in the mirror above the sink and took a moment to look at the tattoos that covered her body that indicated her status as yakuza. 

It wasn’t often she spent a majority of her time looking in the mirror. She was confident in her own appearance without being so vain as to stare at her reflection constantly, but the tattoos were a great source of pride for her. Years were spent working her way to the top, earning her place within the family and while doing so, Ren was able to attain the munewari styled body suit all on her own. Fully completed, it expressed her strength, her pain; her struggles and ideals and it told the story of how she fought to get where she now stood today. It was a great source of protection and power while also portraying her honor, her duty to the clan, and to her father who she owed her life too. It was everything she stood for and the amount of passion put into each piece was proof enough of that, which is why she refused to pick anyone other than the best for her irezumi.

Her hand moved up to trace the branches of the sakura tree extending across her left shoulder and chest, following the trunk to the roots down her bicep as she admired the art. They were all incredible, from the fierce tiger on opposite side of her body from the sakura tree, to the samurai on her back. Then to the lotus flower covering her right thigh down to her knee, and the koi that glider through clear water across her left thigh that all represented her past, the present and her future. All her tattoos meant a great deal to her, including the chrysanthemum on the left side of her stomach and peonies on the right. Even the Maple leaves spread across the back of her right arm had its own unique meaning. 

Everything was beautifully interwoven together with intricate swirls and designs, ocean waves and dragon scales. There were two tattoos of her that was more of a personal touch, rather than one of traditional meaning. A red oni was placed on top of her left forearm, a hannya on her right. One for protection while the other had more of dual purpose meaning behind it that not many knew about. 

Not very many people have seen all of her tattoos, they were that important to her. The largest exception to that was when it came to the Omegas she’s been with. While it was easy to just keep a shirt on and even most of her clothes in some instances, it didn’t always work out that way. A small smirk spread across her face as a few memories came to mind before refocusing on the task at hand returning to her previous activity of getting ready.

With her towel and dirty clothes neatly folded, Ren put her hair back up in its usual style of a half up bun before dressing in a pair of tailored black slacks and fitted white dress shirt. No wrinkles, no creases. Perfectly presentable. After sending a single text to one of her brothers, she left with her laundry in hand and returned to her own room. She quietly opened the door, making sure not to not disturb the Omega as she stepped inside. 

With a quick appraisal, the girl still appeared to be asleep and she silently placed her laundry onto her dresser to take care of later in the day before putting on the rings and the watch she had removed last night. The last item was her jacket that she folded over her arm before turning back to her door to leave. With a last glance toward the bed, she opened the door and left the girl there to sleep. 

By the time that Ren arrived at the front entrance of the main Fukuda household, the receiver of her most recent text was waiting in the driveway with her car. It was a more overindulgent purchase of hers, a black Lexus with tinted windows. Nondescript, or as much as a Lexus like hers could be. The man stood next to the open driver side door and bowed to her as she got in before closing it and stepping away. She appraised the freshly cleaned interior, pleased that everything was the way it should be, down to the placement of her mirror. It was the only reason why she needed to have the vehicle brought to her as it usually sat right out front of her home. 

It didn’t take long to reach the scientist's apartment. By the time she drove up, the other members had already arrived and were packing up the girl’s personal belongings that she had requested. Ren pulled the list out of her coat pocket as she sat in the car, going over it again as she noticed the specific details written for the last item. They were written out with apparently more care than the rest, along with a little note underneath that asked for it to be handled gently. 

Ren couldn’t help but laugh, her thumb and forefingers pressing into the bridge of her nose after she read the description again. A toy. It was a stuffed toy that she called Nessie and this was apparently what was most important to her on the note. ‘ _Cute.’_ It would make sense to guarantee that it was taken care of in order to be certain that the girl would be more willing to comply.

One of the kobun was approaching her car and Ren took that as her cue to step out. As she was closing the door, they bowed and she handed them the written list to ensure that everything was properly accounted for and there were no mistakes. Everyone seemed to be on their toes and taking care of things perfectly so it was unlikely she would need to worry. It was to be expected considering her presence, she very rarely attended such insignificant things like retrievals but her father had entrusted her to take care of the situation in all aspects.

Dismissing them with a nod, Ren went inside to check out the apartment. It was a good excuse to see what she could learn about the Omega and get a better feel for who she was. The space wasn’t impressive by any means, a small apartment that was sparsely furnished and typical for a foreigner who was there for work. Ren spotted the bedroom and entered as another kobun left with a box in his arms, closing the door behind her to give her a moment of privacy.

The Omega’s scent was strong here, even after her brothers have been in and out constantly. There were no other scents, no family or friends. No partners. Though she knew that already from the lack of any other scents on her when they had first met. In the corner of the room was Natalie’s bed and on top sat a green stuffed toy that reminded her of the lake monster Issie. Now she understood why it was given the name Nessie. 

Walking over to the bed, Ren picked up the toy by its neck to examine it, noting how much stronger the scent of the Omega was. Natalie most likely slept with it every night and although it looks like it was quite old, the toy is very well taken care of. It’s obvious that is something of great value to her and very meaningful, even if it is childish. It’s possible it was a gift of some sort from her family, though she can't be certain. She understands wanting to hold onto a memory like that. 

With a frown, she shifts the toy to be able to hold it around the middle, being more gentle than she was with it before as the bedroom door opens. 

_“We have finished, aniki. The only thing left is that toy.”_

They walk forward as if to retrieve the toy and Ren straightens and holds it closer. 

_“Leave it. I’ll take care of it.”_

They bow to her before leaving her alone in the room, the front door closing as the rest of the kobun leave. The only thing now was to speak with the landlord and inform them of who now owned the apartment before returning to the Omega with the Nessie in hand.

  
  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo - Fukuda Household_

_9:02 AM_

Had it not been for Natalie’s aching body and injuries, she was sure sleeping in this bed would have given her the best night’s rest she had in years. The mattress truly made it feel like she was sleeping on clouds. Not only that, but it was basically drenched in the Alpha’s scent. As much as she felt like she should’ve hated it, she hadn’t ever smelled anything better. That had to be an exaggeration, but it wasn’t. 

She was positive she heard the Alpha getting up and getting ready, but she couldn’t bother with it. Doing something like that should’ve been dangerous, she could’ve been taken advantage of. This time for sure she was sure she wouldn’t have the strength to fight back, but nothing happened. The last thing she heard was the bedroom door shutting before she simply fell back into her deep slumber.

There was no rush to getting up now since nobody else was in the room. It was one of those instances in which you would wake up in a different bed, but think you were still at home. Disappointment and stress overwhelmed her quickly again and she kept her eyes shut, although she was awake. This was going to be her home now. Er, well, not this specific place that she was currently in, but that was the point. 

Natalie thought that she deserved to take whatever little pleasure that was in front of her, especially after what she had been through. Her face turned a bit further into the pillow and she inhaled slowly. She was now partially laying on her stomach, both arms raised upwards and wrapped around the pillow. The Alpha’s scent was strong, and smelled of something she couldn’t quite place immediately.

With another deep breath in, it clicked that she had smelled something similar to this. Cedarwood. Solid, yet it reminded her of being in a tranquil forest. The scent was powerful, just like Ren’s presence, but there was a small twist on it. Almost as if it was actively burning, but still fresh. It filled her limbs with even more warmth, and she couldn’t describe it with any word other than perfection. All she wanted to do was melt into the mattress. 

Tugging the comforter up more, she did basically that. Not that she was actually melting, seeing as how that was impossible without her dying. It was a phrase she had heard from Ajay when she had first been talking about Anita. Something along the lines of how she could just ‘melt into those big, strong arms of hers’. It didn’t make much sense then, even as it was explained to her, but this was the moment that she was able to fully understand what she meant.

Wait. No, this wasn’t the same thing. This was far from the same thing. Natalie pushed herself up suddenly, her brows twinging in a slight frown as she stared down at the pillow. The sudden movement caused slight dizziness, causing her to waver for just a moment. This person was one of the reasons she would no longer be allowed to return to her apartment or to her job. Ren’s scent was appealing, there was no denying that, but something about it made her want to hate it.

With a soft sigh, Natalie turned and looked around the room. It looked a bit different in the daylight, though the curtains were only partially drawn. Just as she had thought, Ren was nowhere to be seen. How could she know that she wouldn’t get up and escape? She then remembered that she was only wearing the yukata, and that this house she was in was essentially swarming with members of the clan. Escape would be impossible anyways, and it’s not like she knew her way out of the place.

Just as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, she heard a loud knock at the door that startled her, making her jump and quickly get to her feet. What was she supposed to do? This wasn’t her room, why would they be knocking? As she stood there, she quickly tucked and fixed the yukata as it had slightly loosened from her tossing and turning throughout the night. Cautiously, she approached the door, making it over halfway there before she heard a more urgent knock.

Even though she was so sure it wasn’t her place to open the door, she did so anyways, peeking out to see a man standing back with his arms folded behind his back. It wasn’t anyone she has seen before, and even with his large stature, he didn’t seem aggressive whatsoever. Polite looking, even. She opened the door a bit further, giving him a questioning look.

_“Your room has been prepared for you. I am here to escort you there.”_

Right, her room. He stood there expectantly, and she only stared back for a moment. There was a chance he didn’t know she understood him perfectly, but he looked as if he was expecting something. His eyes narrowed a bit as he grew impatient, but his orders were to be patient and calm. To not alarm her, or cause any physical harm, either. As another moment passed, he simply clicked his tongue and began walking.

_“Follow me. We don’t have all day.”_

The man anticipated for her to bow out of respect, but it wasn’t something she had in her mind. While it was occasionally common courtesy, the last thing she did was respect these people. Respect had to be earned, not just deserved or demanded. It didn’t matter who the person was, and she certainly wasn’t going to show respect for the people that had caused her so much pain already. 

Crossing her arms lightly over her chest, she stepped out of the room, shutting the door after her and following behind, though not that close. The walk was entirely silent, the only things she could hear were quiet conversations going on in various rooms and the morning chirps from birds outside. Other members that passed them gave the occasional side glance towards Natalie. Some puffed up their chests, trying to seem larger and more impressive while others gave a soft scoff or sneer. 

Natalie did her best to avoid eye contact with all of them, instead focusing on memorizing the hallways of the place and how to get back to Ren’s room if needed. Not that it would be needed, there was no scenario in which she’d need such a thing. That was silly. Before she knew it, he had stopped in front of a door, one that looked like most others. It wasn’t incredibly far, but it was a couple hallway turns away from where they started.

_“You may go inside. I have other matters to attend to.”_

He gave her one last look, waiting until she grabbed the handle of the door and opened it before he walked away. As she stepped inside, there was something more than just her things that was waiting for her.

  
  


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It hadn’t taken very long for Natalie’s room to be prepared. All of her things had been brought in and organized, under Ren’s command. The room was originally for any guest, so most of it had been made up already. The bed was made, the dresser and closet was empty, and everything had been left clean. Natalie had many things though, and Ren wasn’t about to allow her things to go on the floor.

A large desk was brought in along with a matching coffee table and chair set. All of her notebooks were placed in the drawers of the desk while her laptop, pencils and pens were set on the top. Various books that she requested were placed upon the coffee table, neatly stacked. It was more effort than what they’d normally do, but they couldn’t refuse Ren’s instructions. 

Her clothes that came in hangars were hung in the closet while all other clothes resided in a few cardboard boxes. Those were simply left by the dresser so that Natalie could organize them as she so pleased. Other personal items were in other labeled boxes and set in a corner. If anything, Ren was spoiling her a bit. The other members had noticed, but said nothing. After this, she knew that special treatment wouldn’t slide around them. 

Once finished, she instructed them to leave, and for one to go wake her up from her bedroom and to bring her. After they left, Ren looked down to the plushie she held, deciding to take off her jacket and cover it as some sort of surprise. Then, she simply waited, sitting on the arm of the cushioned chair they brought in. As time passed, she couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of nervousness in the pit of her stomach. There was no reason for this, but the door slid open before she could dwell on it.

Natalie at first seemed surprised to see her, though she didn’t hesitate to walk in and close the door behind her. 

“I was wondering where you went,” The girl said as she looked around the room.

There was a slight raise of her eyebrows at Natalie’s odd choice of words, considering that the day before she wanted nothing to do with her. Either way, she pushed it to the back of her mind as she watched Natalie wander over to the desk, running her fingers across familiar items and checking each individual drawer.

“Yes. All that you requested on the list has been accounted for. As I mentioned before, everything else such as your assets, apartment payments, and accounts have also been taken care of.”

For a split second, Natalie quickly looked up and peered towards the bed with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes. It faded for a moment when there was something missing, but the girl didn’t speak up. As she took slow steps around the room, Ren noticed that her own scent was coming strong from her. This was good news, knowing that this meant the other members would leave her alone for some time. They would never interfere with the women that had been in Ren’s bed, even if Natalie wasn’t technically one of those women for multiple reasons.

“I’m assuming this is what you requested to be handled delicately?”

Ren caught her attention as she stepped forwards, pulling her jacket off from her arm to reveal Nessie. Natalie’s eyes lit up instantly and she let out a soft gasp, clasping her hands together instantly as the toy was held out for her. She stepped forwards and took the plushie, embracing it tightly to her chest with the first genuine smile that Ren has seen from her. Her nose quickly buried itself into the neck of the plush monster, nuzzling it just a tad.

“Mon Nessie! Tu m'as tellement manqué!” 

_‘Cute’_ , Ren thought once again. She must’ve been staring a bit too much because Natalie noticed and cleared her throat, easing up her hug on the toy and calming herself before speaking again.

“Yes, this was it. Thank you.”

Ren nodded her head, noticing that the thanks was mildly restrained, but that was to be expected. A thanks was well deserved in her opinion, especially since she brought everything that was requested. She tried to make it less obvious as she watched Natalie walk to the bed, setting the toy down on it before smoothing her hand over the sheets. There was something else that she caught that seemed strange. The girl recoiled a bit after touching the silk sheeks, almost flinching at it. What was that? Either way, she didn’t say anything specific about it, so she assumed it was nothing. 

“So I’m staying here now?”

“Yes. You can move things around to your liking. You are also free to roam throughout the household.. Try not to wander too much, but you’ll learn your way around.”

While there weren't that many kobun residing within the household, there were enough that they would be able to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't try to run off. The Yakuza's generosity only went so far for those that respected them and their members. After all of this, it was beginning to come to the end of her duty for directly interacting with Natalie. Eventually she could just hand off the job to one of the shatei gashira. The Omega had everything she could possibly need while staying there and would hopefully be content. 

“One last thing. Our clan leader has requested your presence for lunch in about thirty minutes. I will allow you to prepare yourself. Try to dress in something nice.”

Again, Natalie didn’t respond with anything else but a nod. With that, Ren got up and left the room, leaving the electrical engineer to ready herself.

────── 〔✿〕──────

Wear something nice. After Ren had left, Natalie let out a deep sigh and completely relaxed. As much as she wanted to look through her things, she knew that preparing for this lunch was priority. First, she went through her closet and the boxes of clothing to pick out her outfit. It was difficult to decide on, especially because most of her clothing was something to wear around her house, or to wear at work. There wasn’t much in between, but she was able to figure something out.

Her top was a cream colored, sleeveless turtleneck that seemed business casual enough. For pants she was able to pick out some black slacks with a thin belt. Shoes. Shoes weren’t that big of a deal as she had only brought her white house slippers to wear, but wasn’t sure if those would fit well with the outfit. Not that she had many options, and she wasn’t about to wear heels to this thing, nor was she going to wear her sneakers. The household floor wasn’t entirely tatami mats, but it was better safe than sorry.

Now that she was dressed, she spent a bit of her extra time digging through her things to find a brush. Her damp hair had been messed up since she went to bed immediately after a bath. It was always slightly curly anyways, but it still looked like she had bed head. By the time she was finished, she heard another knock on the door, to which she answered much quicker this time. It was yet another member that she had not seen before, this one shorter, but he looked slightly angrier. Still, she sensed no aggression coming from him and listened to what he had to say.

_“Our oyabun has requested you to join him for lunch. I will take you there immediately.”_

Everything that was told to her was never an option, so she nodded and shut the door behind her, following him towards the dining room. The first thing she noticed was the smell of food, making her stomach growl softly. She hadn’t eaten since last night, which wasn’t long ago, but it felt like it. He opened the sliding door for her and stepped aside so she could walk in. 

The oyabun stood at the head of the table, as if awaiting her arrival with Ren to his right. There was another woman to his left, with an empty place next to her, seemingly there for her. At first, she wasn’t sure what to do, looking over to Ren as if asking for some assistance. Ren, for once, did not meet her gaze and minded her business. Instead, the oyabun spoke up.

_“How nice of you to join us, Natalie. Come in, sit down.”_

The oyabun gave a hand motion while sitting, Ren sitting down after him, perfectly straight with her hands on her knees. She watched for a moment, then walking over and bowing before sitting next to the woman’s seat with a small ‘ _Thank you_.’ Before her, on a large wooden, dining table was an array of empty plates and dishes of food. 

Individual bowls of miso soup and rice were laid in front of where the expected party members were to sit. In the middle was a hot plate with a boiling pan full of broth surrounded with various plates of meats and vegetables. Along with that was also a long rectangular plate of pickled okra and cabbage on opposite sides accompanied with a small bowl of wasabi. Saucers were set for the soy sauce near the head of the table along with a kettle of hojicha and a single empty cup for tea at each seat as well, though there was an extra ceramic cup in front of Ren’s placement with a matching tokkuri nearby. 

The woman that sat to his left began to serve tea to each of them individually as he spoke for the first time before serving herself last and then taking her seat. 

_“I’ve heard quite a bit about you. All good things, do not worry. You have quite the reputation for your inventions. I’m sure Ren has already briefed you about our intentions with bringing you here, correct?”_ He looked up to her, awaiting an answer.

_“Yes.”_

  
_“Excellent.”_

Natalie had decided to follow Ren’s actions, hoping that whatever she did would be enough to show her proper manners. The leader of the clan began the meal, picking up his chopsticks before choosing his preferred options and then taking the first few bites. Ren and the other woman began to eat as well, the Alpha choosing similar choices to her father while the woman chose a few pieces of vegetables and pickled cabbage. Natalie then, hesitantly at first, did the same. There were no strange looks so far, or so she hoped, so she kept quiet and began to eat intermittently. 

_“We will have an itinerary for you to follow. It will be printed out and given to you later today. I will also have one of my underlings show you around. We have a large room specifically made that you will be able to continue your work alongside our other personal scientist. I’m sure you will find it more than sufficient.”_

The way that he was describing this made it seem like this was some sort of amazing job that she had just scored. The way he spoke, the politeness, as well as a lunch that she was invited to. She was sure that the food she was served after this would be nowhere near as excellent, but that wasn’t important. Natalie wasn’t quite sure what to say yet, so she remained quiet.

_“Of course, we will be paying you. Syndicate was in no position to hire someone like you. Your work was leaked within the first month of working there, correct? Something like that will not be tolerated here. Everything and anything you create beneath our roof will stay hidden. Access will only be granted to you, your new co-worker, and a select few trusted members.”_

Being paid wasn’t her priority either, but she supposed that it was better than nothing. She wasn’t being exactly forced to do work for nothing in return. All she had to do was what he expected and she would eventually earn her freedom back. 

_“Instructions and the specifics of your job will be told to you on your first day, which is tomorrow. If you have any questions, you can ask your co-worker. You may speak to members of the clan if you have any bigger issues and they will find someone to handle it if they cannot do so themselves. Now, enjoy your lunch. You will need your strength for the full house tour.”_

Again, nothing was ever an option, even if it was worded in such a way. Natalie did her best to make sure her negative emotions would not show on her face, but she quickly noticed that Ren was staring at her intently. Was she supposed to say something? Her eyes went back to the oyabun, and she quickly realized the issue and gave a small bow of her head toward him.

_“Thank you. I appreciate your hospitality.”_

The words weren’t exactly genuine, but Natalie still had no choice. Once she had said that, he gave a satisfied grunt and continued eating. Even though she had lost a bit of her appetite, she continued to finish her food at a pace that wouldn’t leave her sitting there with them for too long. Either way, the oyabun struck up conversation with Ren and his wife, casual short exchanges about their mornings and the like, acting as if Natalie wasn’t there.

Eventually, she had to thank him for the meal once more before being escorted out of the room. Just before she left, she gave one last glance to Ren, this time meeting her gaze. Subconsciously she had begun to attach herself to her, seeing the wakagashira as the only dependable person that she felt safe with. Somebody that she was sure wouldn’t cause her any harm, but she knew from this short lunch meeting that they would likely not speak again, or at least not often. All she could do now was prepare herself for the house tour and carry on with her life, just like any other day. It was the start of a new chapter in her life, just like moving to Japan was in the first place. Another, newer beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Voidwalker Lover on the Darksparks server for an accurate French translation!
> 
> Also thank you to Izo, Bonk and JJ because without you guys, I wouldn't have had a single fucking clue about how to describe a table. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave kudos if you liked it. Thank ya!


	6. Chapter 5: Perfect Fit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie gets to meet her new co-workers and learn her new responsibilities as the electrical engineer for the Yakuza.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! We're back, and hopefully at a regular schedule! Enjoy the new chapter!
> 
> !! WARNING !!
> 
> This chapter has the use of violence and guns in it.

As expected, once Natalie was no longer present her father began speaking of more serious matters related to the incident and things that needed to remain undisclosed to most others. There were already plans in place to deal with Syndicate, things that she would need to be present for and suspicions were arising regarding other clans involvement in the matter. The news upset her father greatly but unfortunately there were not a lot of leads to go off of and any accusations needed to be treated with caution.

It was always better to take care of things with as little bloodshed as possible, especially between the clans or else animosity and resentment could start to swell within the districts. That would only create more unrest and the possibility that it would eventually begin to affect civilian lives as well as the clan's own future was something that should be avoided. It wasn’t what her father would want. He has always remained loyal to the ways of the ninkyo dantai and senseless violence was unacceptable. 

_“Yes. I will see that it is taken care of.”_

With her acknowledgement, he seemed pleased and Ren chose to say nothing more, instead, lifting her hand to clasp around the neck of the tokkuri. Her mother reached for it first, tipping it to fill the small cup for her. Their eyes met before the woman set the flask down gently and returned to her bowl of rice without a single word. It was a common occurrence between them, communicating without words, and Ren knew what that look meant but didn’t bother pushing the issue while in her father's presence. Instead, she just took the now full cup of sake, drinking half of it in one sitting while continuing to ignore the look from her mother. 

Ren listened faithfully to her father speak about another bit of business that needed to be taken care of by one of the shatei ossa, mind only half wandering back to the blonde as she looked to her now empty seat. It wasn’t the first time that they have brought in people like her. “Assets”, they called them. Individuals who would benefit them in various ways that become part of the clan, but not kobun. Whether or not they were willing to join was always another matter entirely.

The conversation turned back to more casual topics, her mother joining in again while Ren continued to drink and respond only when necessary. Meals together were one thing her father insisted on being done a specific way, regardless whether or not other guests were going to be invited and every time her mother cooked. She would also be the one to serve them as well, ensuring everything was to her father’s liking.

Eventually the exchanges lulled when no one had anything else to add and they finished the rest of the meal in silence. Ren took her leave first, dismissing herself after finishing only the second cup of sake and giving her mother a small smile. “ _Thank you mother, the meal was delicious as always._ ” She received a smile in turn and then left to see another matter that needed her attention. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

  
  


After the uncomfortable lunch, Natalie returned to her room to await the tour. It didn’t take long at all before she received a knock and when she opened it, an abnormally large man stood at her door. He looked down at her with a very unimpressed expression, his arms crossed in front of his chest. It was something that she was beginning to realize was going to be a pretty common occurrence while she stayed here. Not everyone seemed to appreciate her work and most barely tolerated her presence within the house.

Sticking her head out from her door, she tried to peek around him, looking both ways down the hall to see if any others were around. After seeing no one else she attempted to ask if he was there to give her the tour of the house considering he hadn’t even said anything to her yet.

“Oh I—” She barely managed to speak before the man suddenly interrupted her.

_“Follow me or don’t. I don't really care, but it will be your fault if you get lost here.”_

Without even waiting for her reply, he walked off down the hall toward the main floor, leaving her behind. Natalie lingered for a second, a little uneasy to be following a random stranger in a home full of Yakuza. Not only that, but other Alphas were around as well. Too bad he didn’t really give her much of a choice, so she stepped out and hurried to catch up. There was a small part of her that she hoped Ren would have been the one to give the tour, but the thought was quickly brushed away as she instead chose to focus on the matters in front of her. 

As soon as she was within earshot, he began explaining to her the various locations she needed to know and other bits of information that she might or might not want to hear from him. Even if his mood could be a little more positive, at least she was able to understand him easily.

_“There are two bathing rooms. One in the South hall and another in the North, which is where your room is located. Now that you’re here, the North bath is for your use only. Do not use the South hall bath. T_ _here is also a shower in the training arena, you don’t need to go there."_ He paused, and looked down at her as if he wanted to say something but only narrowed his eyes and continued. 

It was clear that he was enjoying this just about as much as she was and wasn’t even trying to pretend to care. There wasn’t anything she could really do unfortunately, her lack of control over the entire situation was out of her hands and knowing that, just nodded as he continued on his way. It would just be best to not say anything.

_“There is also a bathhouse in the East wing, but no one except the Fukuda family is allowed to use it unless invited personally.”_

The man took her to the opposite side of the house, explaining where the different halls led to and each purpose of the rooms. The layout of the house was more simple than she anticipated, and was also a lot bigger than first glance allowed her to believe. There weren’t too many turns that would allow you to get lost, however there were multiple floors. Three to be exact. 

He explained that the first floor wasn’t important, it was mostly bedrooms and offices, most of which she wasn’t allowed to go snooping around in and Natalie would have to agree. She knew where her room was and was aware that Ren’s was further down the hall, so there wasn’t much reason to know any others. It was best to avoid said rooms anyways.

Once on the ground floor, they went down one of the main halls that eventually led out to a walkway with a large open window to both sides. It was a perfect view of the tree’s surrounding the home and the city in the distance. She could catch a few of the taller buildings as she walked through, trying to see if she could locate her exact location, but it was impossible for her to do so. 

On the right was a different story and Natlalie paused for a moment as her tour guide continued walking. She stared out into what looked to be a beautiful garden right in the middle of the entire structure. There was no ceiling either, the blue sky peeking through the branches and casting warm sunlight into the entire area. It reminded her of pictures of the imperial gardens she had seen while flipping through travel brochures, though in a much smaller and more compact scale. 

A gruff voice called to her, interrupting her thoughts as she turned, surprised to see the man leering down at her. 

_“Ah, I’m so sorry. I was just looking at the garden. It’s very_ — _”_

_“I don't have all day. Keep up.”_

With that he once again began walking away, not caring about what she had to say at all. Her face fell again, wishing that the tour could just be over with so she could sit alone in her room and not have anyone else look at her or treat her as if she was a burden. With one last, longing glance at the garden, she followed.

It was after a few more introductions where some of the other household occupants informed Natalie that she was, of course, expected to cook her own food and clean up after herself. Every week she would be allowed to write a list of groceries and they would be delivered to her and the cost deducted from her pay. It was another reminder that she would probably never be allowed out of sight again but she was grateful that she would at least be able to choose what she could buy.

Making her own meals and doing her laundry was never an issue for her, but she didn’t know how that would change while now staying within the Yakuza house. Thankfully, most of the others were gone it seemed; they were probably out doing things that she would rather not think about and then only coming back to sleep. The only exception was the main occupants but she saw very little of Fukuda Takahiro and his wife.

There wasn’t a whole lot to the tour after that in which Natalie felt she actually needed to know and it was made obvious that it was most likely just a way to make her feel like she wasn’t being trapped or held against her will. It felt like she was being given a lot of freedom and trust, but she knew for a fact that if she were to step just one foot out of line, the Yakuza would know about it. Who knew what sort of punishments they would put upon her if she did so?

The last bit of the tour ended in front of a glazed glass door with metal walls on either side of it. The man simply told her that this is where she was to work and that the tour was finished. He didn’t say anything else and instead just sauntered off in a direction. It was rude, but from the way he had been treating her this entire time, it wasn’t unexpected.

  
  
It was, however, strange to her that a crime organization like the Yakuza would have an entire lab in the basement of their main household. Then again, what other place could be any safer than within the jaws of the beast itself?

Even though the tour had ended, Natalie was curious as to what was inside and now there was no one to tell her what to do since her guide had left as soon as he could. She felt like it only made sense to see where she was to be working from now on. Her hand raised in front of her to open the door as she approached it only for it to open automatically. Another little surprise considering how traditional the rest of the house appeared to be, but what surprised her even more was the large lab space that she walked into.

It was impressive in both size and quality. Everything seemed so sterile, with perfect white floors and metal work desks. Even the walls were a glossy white, leaving no trace of dirt or dust to be seen and she wondered if they had people come in and clean for them every day. There were even specialized stations for different uses such as welding or soldering and a wall lined with shelves full of what could only be parts and materials. Another wall was lined with extra tools, both large and small. It was obvious that the Yakuza knew what they were doing or at least had someone that did. 

Computers sat at every desk with multiple screens and the same was with the actual work stations so that you didn’t have to go back and forth between your desk and your work in order to check something. Most of the personal desks were very clean and organized with the exception of one that was full of stacks of paperwork and clipboards, a few loose tools and what appeared to be a small pillow under a pile of scrap metal. 

An older man, with slightly graying hair was suddenly standing before her, startling her a little. He gave a sheepish smile and apologised.

_“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, but you weren’t answering when I was trying to ask who you were.”_

Natalie’s cheeks went slightly red, as she realized she must have been too engrossed in her surroundings to realize that she was being spoken to. 

_“Oh, no need to apologize, I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you, I was just admiring your lab.”_

_“Do you have business here?”_ He didn’t seem upset at all, which was good and made her a little less nervous as she nodded to him. 

_“I was told that this is where I’m going to be working now. I am Natalie Paquette. Pleased to meet you.”_

As she went to bow, their introduction was interrupted by a crash from another room as some wiring and papers fell to the ground followed by what sounded like someone scrambling to gather themselves. Another man, possibly a little younger with unkempt dark brown hair hurried over to her. He seemed flustered and very disorganised as he adjusted his glasses on his nose.

_“You’re our new engineer, right? The one that everyone was talking about on the news.”_

Natlaie, rocked back on her heels as she avoided the looks of anger she was expected to see on everyone by now.

_“ I, uh... Yes, that was me. I am sorry for what happened.”_

_“Don't be sorry, it was brilliant. It was an unfortunate accident that someone got a hold of your plans and turned it into a weapon, but that's no fault of yours.”_

_“Correct. At least that was taken care of. We welcome you then, Natalie. We hope you enjoy it here. It is a very nice facility to work in. My name is Seiichi Akira and this is the director of our department, Shinyang Ai.”_

Both men smiled at her as they exchanged greetings and though the director seemed to be a little scattered, she thought that they were very nice. Conversation between them came easily, though Natalie mostly stayed quiet and smiled politely. She could feel some of the tension leaving her shoulders, knowing that they were not going to look down on her and was interested in learning more about her and her work.

With a small smile, Ai placed his hand on Natalie’s shoulder. _“Would you like a small tour? It would be easier for you to get your bearings, correct?”_ She nodded, and smiled back in return. 

_“I would like that, yes.”_

It was more or less an explanation to how things would work while employed there and where she would be able to find anything she needed in order to complete projects that were given to her. The lab was smaller than the house, so obviously there was less space to travel and less explanations needed. It also helped that she was used to working in similar environments and did not need much in terms of information. She also learned more about the rest of the scientists that worked there, though there were only two others. One man who had left not that long ago and who was another engineer like her named Sungmin and another, the only Alpha out of the four men, named Tae Joon. 

Luckily with the one exception, they were all betas and it made her feel more at ease around then then she did with the Yakuza members. The man who had first approached her was more involved in chemicals and medicine as well as other things that he did not embellish on. The other man she learned was not only her superior but also lived within the lab while the others stayed in the guest rooms on the south wing. She thought it was odd for him to live in the lab but she was no stranger to staying at work over going home, usually spending a large amount of hours focused on a project. 

The Alpha they had pointed out earlier, she noticed, sat off in a corner away from most of the other equipment. His desk was surrounded by various screens but not much else. He looked up at her for only a minute before returning to his work. The men explained that he was their computer technician and did many other things for the clan that only he was allowed to know about. He also kept mostly to himself and she was told not to worry too much if he seemed distant.

The last engineer she finally met as they were almost nearly finished. He came into the lab holding a folder of files and reading over a page in his other hand. He was younger than the other two but the technician was still perhaps the youngest. Ai began explaining to the other man who their new arrival was, but first and foremost, Natalie spotted something sitting on a desk that he was standing near. It was a device that looked like it had seen better days. Her silent stare was easily caught from the engineer. 

Sungmin spoke up, looking at it with a small look of disdain. _“That’s something I have been working on for some time now. It’s part of a device that was recovered from another facility and I have done everything I can, but there are some components still not responding. It has been a major pain and I am concerned that I may never crack it.”_

  
_“Do you mind?”_

As the man shakes his head to notion that it was alright, Natalie sits down at the desk beginning to open it and examine the wiring and individual parts. Sungmin and Akira try to give her a small warning that she could get hurt when she doesn’t know what it even is. Even so, they don’t do anything to physically stop her. Ai simply stands there and watches with thinly veiled interest as she starts working. The device is in pieces before anyone can blink but as she reaches down to where her belt would be, she comes back empty handed. With a frown, Natalie realizes she doesn’t have her gear on like she normally does and turns in her seat to the engineer. 

_“Is it alright if I borrow a set of tools? I just realized I don’t actually have them on me.”_

Ai immediately goes over to grab a kit for Natalie to use, obviously more interested in how this is going to turn out than concerned over whether she knows what she’s doing or not. The situation finally caught Tae Joon’s attention and he had his gaze on her as well now too. There was a slight lift of his brown as he observed curiously. 

_“Thank you very much.”_ She smiles before immediately turning back to her work with a focused look. 

In a matter of seconds, she starts to resemble some of the inner pieces. Before she goes to put the final piece in, she reaches for the diagnostic cable attached to the computer at the desk she is working on and pulls up a program to read the output and data of the device. With a satisfied smile, she puts the casing together and turns to the engineer who is staring at her agape.

_“There. You only needed to have a few things adjusted, but it should be fully functional at this point.”_

_“H–How? You didn’t even have the schematics for it.”_

Other than the stunned engineer, the other two seemed incredibly impressed and began asking her questions about her skills and her education as well as exclamations about how she was going to be a great addition to the team. Her current success would make the Fukuda’s very happy as well as all her future successes. They even asked her more about herself while they smiled and conversed excitedly, and she even caught a trace of an amused smile from the Alpha at his desk before he returned to his computer screens. For the first time since the incident, it felt that maybe not everything would be so bad.

────── 〔✿〕──────

  
  


The first couple of days of work were fairly easy. The other scientists and engineers gave a more in-depth tour of each of their workplaces, showing off specific tools and explaining what they did if she hadn’t heard of it. Most of them she knew and had used them before, others she had only heard of and was interested in learning how to use other tools. 

One specific weapon that they were requested to make was surprisingly within her area of expertise: An electric bullet. Specifically to tase people, obviously. Many other countries and their militaries had attempted to create it, but to make a bullet that was small enough to fit into a gun while also delivering a powerful punch was far more difficult than it sounded.

It was something she would have to do research on. Before she could do anything like that, her laptop was turned over to Tae Joon. He had to block most forms of communication as well as many websites for her as if she was a child. Any suspicious websites would be reported to him. It was a bit limiting and stressful, but the Yakuza didn’t want any risk whatsoever of her reporting this to anyone. She was sure that Ajay was beyond worried for her at this point, but it was out of her hands. She’d eventually get back to her. Eventually.

On the third day, she was prepared to begin with her creation from scratch. The other engineers had some prototypes, to which she looked into, but decided that starting over would be better for the device. She apologized if that offended any of them, but they hardly cared since they were far more interested in learning from her. 

Natalie also had plenty to learn from them. There wasn’t much she knew about guns and their specific framework. She took time to plan out a hand-crafted pistol that would be able to shoot the bullets she had in mind, having tremendous help from others. Once those plans were settled, she depended on them to create a functioning pistol while she took on the task to create the bullets. The general idea was simple enough, but another idea struck her that none of the other militaries had probably thought of.

_“ Tae Joon? Could I trouble you for some assistance? ”_

The Alpha’s attention was taken away from the screens as Natalie approached him. His expression hardly changed, but one could tell that he wasn’t bothered from her interruptions.

_“ Mhmm. Go ahead._ ”

_“Well, I was thinking,”_ She walked up to his desk and splayed out the paper for the bullet plan, “ _We could incorporate something else in this bullet that would make it fully functional. Creating a bullet that constantly sends out shocks from the moment it’s fired would be inefficient. It would surely lose a majority of its charge before it even reached the person._ ”

Natalie slid a finger over the paper to point at a spot of a cross cut drawing of the inside of the bullet.

_“ We could fit a small responding chip in the bullet. One that responds directly to a device on the gun itself. Once the bullet successfully latches onto someone, you could simply press a button on the side of the pistol that would make the bullet send out a full charge. Do you think you could help me program something like that?”_

It was brilliant, honestly. While others had possibly thought of doing something like this, designing something that small while having sufficient, responding code on it could be considered impossible to do. Tae Joon was never one to put down a challenge, and he wasn’t about to turn down Natalie’s request. 

_“Of course. I’ll get to work on it right now. Let’s do this.”_

While they casually spoke throughout the next day and a half, she noticed his accent and questioned him more about what he was doing here. His features didn’t fit with the Japanese as he was clearly a Korean man, but she assumed he was forced into working for the Yakuza like her. He preferred not to spare too many details, but his story leaned more towards him coming to work for them on his own accord. It was strange, but she was sure the benefits were something of importance to him.

All in all, his presence was pleasant. He was polite and kind, often speaking to her with a far more lower volume than she was used to from other Alpha’s. He didn’t stare at her or even stand too close for comfort and she found conversation with him to be simple and easy to come by. In turn, he also seemed to enjoy her presence, often looking impressed with her while she worked. It was nice and Natalie felt like maybe she could even consider him a friend at some point.

The bullet was finished before the pistol itself, but that simply gave Natalie time to assist the other engineers. There were many things she tweaked and added, but the prototype was prepared, and had a successful test trial on a dummy. While she wanted to work more on it, the device was required to be reported to the higher ups. Within thirty minutes of reporting it, the oyabun requested a demonstration immediately.

Natalie was in no position to insist that they needed more time to work on the charges and power of the gun, and the other engineers seemed excited to finally present something groundbreaking to the oyabun. With the gun and bullets in a specially designed case, everyone from the lab was escorted to an outdoor training area for the demonstration to be held.

────── 〔✿〕──────

As they exited the building to the training ground, the oyabun was already prepared, sitting on a cushioned chair that was brought out for him. Standing next to him, with her hands folded in front of her, was none other than his wakagashira, Ren. The Alpha immediately caught Natalie’s attention, and she couldn’t help but keep her eyes on her as they were guided to a sideline spot. Ren, on the other hand, only spared her a glance before looking off in some other direction. It had been days since they had even seen each other, but it clearly didn’t matter to her.

Once everything was settled, the oyabun was the first to speak.

_“ I’ve heard that you may have something useful for us to use. I don’t need an explanation on how it works, only a demonstration. One of you will give instructions to my selected member for him to fire the gun. You then need to only watch._ ”

He nodded his head to one large male and he walked over to the scientists, looking them over expectantly. While the others were mildly intimidated, Natalie was the first to quietly speak to him, presenting the gun and loading a single bullet. The tip of the bullet had three sharpened tips that hooked inwards to stay within the flesh once fired. The gun itself had its own settings of power.

The point of the bullet was to only penetrate the skin. Too strong of a shot would cause the bullet to completely pass through a person, which would defeat the purpose of the device. On the other hand, some people also wore bullet vests. Since this was a demonstration, the lowest power of fire was selected.

The oyabun then ordered for another, lower member to present himself, hands behind his back. The man with the gun double checked everything before turning to face the test subject. The man stood without wavering, clearly having volunteered himself to do such a thing. Natalie assumed they would be using a dummy, but she immediately caught on to what was about to go down. She knew this device would be specifically created to take out other people in a non-lethal way, but that didn’t mean she was any more comfortable about it.

Natalie could only bite her lip to keep silent, shuffling back and forth on her feet as the man took aim. Tae Joon took notice as he was standing next to her, only glancing down briefly. Ren had also caught it, but said nothing and instead watched as the man took aim. There was no warning as a loud _CRACK_ came from the firing of the gun, the bullet lodging itself half an inch into the man’s chest. The noise made Natalie instantly cover her ears with a wince, her eyes widened at the sight before her.

It felt like it was happening in slow motion, but she was frozen in place. This was also out of her hands. The man holding the gun shifted his thumb to the button, pressing down without hesitation. The man who was already struggling with the piercing sting of the bullet suddenly shouted out, clutching his shirt tightly and stiffening before he collapsed. Even with her ears covered with her palms, Natalie heard every agonizing noise that came from him before the man passed out.

Was he dead? Was she now the cause of two Yakuza member deaths? Nobody seemed phased by it, although Ren was now putting a majority of her attention to the suddenly stressed Omega. Another member walked up to the man who had fainted, putting his fingers to his neck to check his pulse. Within seconds, he looked to the oyabun and nodded.

_“ Well. I’m impressed, and I do not say that lightly. I want more of these made as soon as possible.”_

Natalie’s hands slowly lowered, but her eyes were still focused on the man that was now being carried off to receive medical treatment. Her breath caught in her throat, face a bit pale from the sight. Her head was spinning, ears buzzing still from the gunshot, and her legs ached, not wanting to hold her up anymore. Nausea struck her, the few voices around her beginning to sound more like static. 

Just before genuine panic settled in, she was brought back by a slight nudge to her upper arm. She sucked in a sharp breath of air and turned her head to look. Tae Joon was looking down to her, brows furrowed in concern, although he was unable to say anything directly. It was a distraction, but she needed something to ground her. Her fingers brushed against the long, heavy trench coat he constantly wore. Her fingers grasped lightly onto it, her thumb rubbing against the leathery material.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to help remind her to take deep breaths. The gesture wasn’t done in any particular manner. It was a serious situation for her, and she was going to take any help she could, and Tae Joon was only doing what he could to assist his co-worker and friend. The only issue was that someone else caught notice of this.

Ren was staring over at them, her pale blue eyes hyper focused on Natalie’s hand that was now gripping onto the man’s coat. The feeling was indescribable, but it was also unwarranted. She clenched her jaw, hard enough to cause pain as she observed the two . Her hands were clenched in fists, and she was prepared to get up and take out the Alpha right then and there.

This also didn’t go unnoticed by the oyabun. At first, he noticed Ren’s sudden frustration, then following her eyes to settle on the Omega’s hand. It wasn’t something he’d normally concern himself with, but his own daughter’s emotions were fluctuating wildly out of nowhere due to something that should seem insignificant.

  
  


_“You are all dismissed. Get to work on this immediately.”_

The words made Natalie’s fingers slip away from the coat finally, some of the members now going to lead them back to the lab. The sick feeling in her stomach remained, and the walk back was entirely silent. This was a success for them, it really was, but it didn’t feel like it. Once back at the lab, the silence remained for a few moments before Natalie felt a tender hand on her shoulder.

_“ Your work was excellent, Natalie. Try not to think too hard about it,_ ” Ai had been the first to comfort her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Even with the horrible situation that had unfolded in front of her just minutes earlier, she looked around to see the sympathetic glances from each of her new co-workers. It was entirely different from working at Syndicate. These felt like real people she was working in. Somewhere where she felt like she perfectly fit in, even with the intense amount of stress she knew was going to come. Natalie now had their support, meaning she wasn’t going to have to go through this alone. Ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. A HUGE thanks to my co-writer, Lux, who immensely helped me get this chapter out on time this weekend. Without them, I would be struggling to do this alone with all my new schoolwork!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and we can't wait to post more. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave kudos!


	7. Chapter 6: Awkward Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to become a bit one-sided in the feelings department, which leads to something unexpected and frankly awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am so, so sorry that this chapter came late and off schedule. I got caught up with some other things I needed to do, and it was postponed. Not to worry, we did finish it. It is technically Tuesday for me right now since it's 12 AM, but for future references and as a reminder, chapters can also be posted anytime on a Monday. 
> 
> It's a little shorter than the other chapters, but y'know. Not every chapter will be super long, and some may end up extra long depending on the plot that we need to squeeze in.
> 
> Anyways, hope y'all enjoy this chapter! 
> 
> !! WARNINGS !!  
> \- Mentions of prostitution

_ Chiyoda, Tokyo _

_ Fukuda Laboratories  _

“I know that you mentioned you work here mostly voluntarily, but why would you want to do such a thing?”

The question caught Tae Joon off guard, to which he could only stop his work and look over to Natalie, who was more focused on the device in front of her to meet his gaze. It wasn’t because she spoke English either, that had been settled a few days ago. Natalie was more comfortable speaking English versus Japanese, and he knew it fluently as well so it was an easy compromise to make.

It had been two days since their experiment involving the new gun with the prototype taser bullets and everyone had generally avoided talking about the situation. A more accurate statement would be that Natalie avoided any questions and when asked by concerned co-workers, always said that she was fine. There were too many things on her mind as is, and she knew talking about it now would more than likely break the dam that she was constantly trying to keep built up.

Talking about other people and their issues was just easier, in her opinion. She could be a fantastic listener, and offered a fair amount of sympathy. Comforting wasn’t her specialty, but learning about other people in her situation gave her comfort in turn. Most, if not all, the scientists that worked there had been brought against their will. Tae Joon, on the other hand, was not. He could only stare at her for a moment, though she continued to diligently fiddle with the device in front of her instead of looking at him.   
  


“It’s… Complicated.”

“Is it though? If you could choose between working for a violent gang or a normal company, wouldn’t you want to choose the company?

A soft exhale came from Tae Joon as he turned back to the computer in front of him. His fingers stalled from the keys, unable to finish the next line of his project. 

“Don’t be naive, Natalie. Even big companies have someone working behind them. Why do you think there hasn’t been any news coming from Syndicate? This clan works with them if they don’t own them. It doesn’t matter where I decide to work. The only option would be to become self-employed, and even then, with my intelligence and abilities, they would find some way to control me. It’s better to be paid and work directly under them rather than against them. The Yakuza run more of this city than you realize.” 

There was no response following that. Natalie was a logical thinker, she only did facts, as any good scientist would. While she knew everything that he said, it wasn’t something she wanted to believe. Syndicate created so many excellent advancements for their society, and to think that they were tainted by being secretly run by Japanese gangs made her stomach twist in an unpleasant way. 

Their job for now was producing more of the taser bullets and creating a specific number of guns. It was tedious and repetitive, but it was something to do. Anything would be better than her staying in her room, alone with her thoughts and the physical work kept her mind and hands busy from thinking about how guilty she felt. 

While the other scientists were nice, she found herself feeling more comfortable around the Korean man. It wasn’t because he was an Alpha, absolutely not. There was no attraction on her end, so instead it was just the feeling of security. Being around someone who could understand the way she spoke, and who she knew wouldn’t advance on her. Not that she knew him very well, but she wasn’t all that bad at perceiving someone’s true intentions, at least not in her opinion.

“I’m sorry for asking such personal questions. They’re uncalled for, I know.”

“No apology needed.”

There had to be a way to lighten the mood. It had been far too long since she felt like she didn’t have to be entirely serious. Tae Joon himself seemed like a fairly serious man, but she had seen traces of smiles on his lips at times. So, the idea came that her new goal was to find some way to get him to laugh.

“Hey, why are electricians never left behind?”

“Hmm?”

“Because they’re always updated on  _ current _ affairs. Get it?”

Natalie herself already had a large grin on her face and stifled a laugh. Tae Joon’s eyes never left the screen, but he smiled. It was a bigger smile than any she had ever seen before. As far as she could tell, it was genuine, too.    
  


“Good one.”

It wasn’t much, but it was something. Something she could do to keep her mind occupied on something other than work. 

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_ Chiyoda, Tokyo _

_ Oyabun’s Office _

The next few days for Ren were unnecessarily stressful, and for a reason she couldn’t quite pinpoint. What she did know was that seeing Natalie grab onto the coat of that Korean hacker made her stomach twist in seriously uncomfortable ways. That could actually be the reason, but she wasn’t going to blame it on that. Stress could come from anything, really. It’d be silly for her to be so upset over something like that.

_ “Ren. I am speaking to you. Are you listening?” _

Ren was currently in her father’s office going through some papers with him. Usually they’d sit together and go through the debts that were owed to them that were too large for their lower members to handle, “official” business contracts, and generally just making sure their plans for the week matched up as to not cause any delays in their work. 

She had been staring at a single piece of paper for far too long, and she had no idea what it was even about. The words were simple, but they didn’t register in her mind. A piece of paper was half crumpled in her other hand, to which she only stopped when her father spoke up. 

_ “Apologies. Could you repeat what you just said?” _

_ “You know I hate repeating myself. I’m not repeating myself again after this.” _

_ “Understood.” _

The paper in her hand was smoothed out, and with a quick glance, it was set into another stack. Her father shuffled with some papers before straightening them out on his own desk, letting out a deep sigh before he spoke again.

_ “You’re thirty-two now, Ren. I think it’s time that we find you a suitable mate. After all, you’re going to need someone to take over for you, the same as when you will take over for me.” _

_ “Do we really need to have this conversation every week?” _

_ “Yes. This is time sensitive. You never like the girls that I have set you up with. Why can you not just accept them? They offer themselves to you willingly.” _

_ “Perhaps I don’t want the women you’ve so graciously offered me.” _

_ “Ren.” _

Another heavy sigh came from the man and he pinched the bridge of his nose. The irritation was on both ends of this conversation. Ren had been with many women, but none that she had found particularly mate-worthy and she had more important things to worry about most of the time. Not only that, but she despised it when her father set her up on blind dates. These women were not just people that could be tossed at her like some menu choice at a restaurant. They were not objects, but many of the members, including her father, never saw Omegas for anything but that. 

  
  


_ “How about the new engineer, then?” _ _  
  
_

_ “What?” _

Ren’s head snapped to look over to him, her eyes narrowed slightly out of instinct. Her father simply quirked a brow, knowing that she had quite the temper at times. Many times. Most of the time. Ren’s fiery personality had gotten her in plenty of trouble, some that her father had to get her out of and some by him. The look he gave her was one that reminded her to remain calm.

_ “I’ve seen the way you look at her. I know my daughter. Is she, a foreign French girl, really the one that you’re most interested in?” _

_ “No, no. You have that wrong. I’m not interested in her.” _

_ “Lying to me will get you nowhere.” _

Lying was one of Ren’s strengths, though she only lied when it was necessary. Occasionally, it would just be stretching the truth. No matter how good she was at lying, her father was able to see through it. Though in this situation she didn’t necessarily think she was lying. Perhaps it was denial over anything, but the attraction existed, no matter how hard she fought against it.

_ “What’s the point anyway? There’s nothing special about her.” _ _  
  
_

_ “Mmh. You’re right, but this is the first Omega you’ve ever genuinely been concerned about. Do I need to set up a talk with her or should something else be done about it?” _

_ “No. Absolutely not.” _

The oyabun clicked his tongue and set aside more papers. This was a frustrating process for him as well. Ren was no stranger to having many Omegas around, though plenty of them were simply obligated to be there. Buying time with sex workers wasn’t uncommon for their clan, and she had participated in it a few times. Occasionally there would be multiple Omegas at a time, but none of them were considered anything other than good company.

Ren took comfort in knowing that she at least treated these women with respect. She couldn’t say the same for the other members, and didn’t always have the right timing to stop it. Otherwise, she did everything in her power to make sure any sex workers that stepped into their home were treated with civility. 

_ “I have a meeting with another CEO. I’ll be back later,”  _ Ren mumbles as she gathers her things.

_ “Ah, yes. The man you are visiting has a lovely daughter. You should see if she is available.” _

At this point, she didn’t even bother fighting it. She was going to see the man for business purposes and business purposes only. The meeting was pre-planned, so thankfully all she needed to do was get one of their cars to take her there. So without another word, Ren finished gathering her things and left his office. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

_ Chiyoda, Tokyo _

_ Kani Loan Services _

This meeting was with a CEO of a company they had been looking into for quite some time. They had to determine whether they would be useful to them or not. Plenty of research to their company finally gave them incentive to “invest”, knowing that holding control over them would set up another pillar of power.

It goes better than expected with little effort on her end. The man is smart and knows of her family's reputation, she doesn’t have to bother with subtle threats or even bring up his previous financial history. Coercion and blackmail come easy, but when her target knows when they have lost, it's better for both parties involved to not waste her time.

The meeting ends with a handshake and an offer, one that she is not unused to receiving, to be introduced to his daughter. A very lovely girl who doesn’t get the chance to meet many respectable Alpha’s like herself. It’s cliche and pathetic, an attempt at bribery to be put on her good side. 

_ “That isn’t part of the deal. You don’t have t–” _

_ “No, no, I insist. You,” _ The man pointed towards one of his assistants,  _ “Go get Shizuka.” _

Ren absolutely despised being interrupted, but she kept quiet and watched as the assistant scurried to the next room to retrieve the man’s daughter. However, patience was not one of her strengths and she bit the inside of her cheek, crossing one leg over the other and leaned back further into the chair with a slow exhale. 

There was a minute or two of an awkward silence before the neighboring door opened once again, the assistant stepping back in with the CEO’s daughter. She was what you’d expect from any daughter of a rich man; she was beautiful with long, black hair, and a fitting dress that went down to her knees. It was clear that they had prepared to present her to Ren today as the girl immediately bowed her head without hesitation. 

Right. The man looked to Ren expectantly, and she knew that accepting the offer would only be beneficial for her clan. That and it could potentially get her father off of her back for some time, which meant it was essentially a win-win scenario. Despite the urge to be difficult, she got herself up from the chair and approached the woman, giving her a polite bow back.

A short conversation ensued to set up a time and date for them to meet up. It ended with the girl giving one final bow before exiting the room, her father looking extremely pleased and proud of the arrangements that were made. Ren, on the other hand, remained stoic in order to not show her utter irritation at the scenario. She had no interest in his daughter at all, and she could tell immediately that the date wouldn’t end up going anywhere serious just from their first interactions. Unfortunately, these were just things that she had to deal with as wakagashira and not much else could be done about it. 

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_ Chiyoda, Tokyo _

_ Fukuda Household _

The date was set for Wednesday evening, which was two days away. It was something that she wasn’t as excited for since it put a bump in her schedule. Not only that, but Ren would’ve rather had plans with someone else. Anyone else. Or, maybe someone specific. 

Ren couldn’t get her father’s words out of her mind. Natalie wasn’t someone she should be interested in for multiple reasons. Having a Japanese mate was usually of utmost importance for the clan, staying within their pure-blooded heritage. As antiquated as those rules were, it wasn’t something she could easily circumvent. Her father doesn’t make light of things such as that, and she knew that if she expressed a more serious interest in her, he would do something about it.

After walking around for some time, deep in her thoughts, she found herself walking past the laboratory doors. She instinctively stopped at hearing laughter from the girl that was just on her mind. Ren’s brows twitched and she frowned slightly, glancing down both sides of the empty hallway before stepping closer. 

Quickly, she checked her watch, noticing that it was past the time their scheduled working hours. They weren’t paid overtime, but from information they had gathered, she also knew that Natalie enjoyed having her job as a hobby as well. It wasn’t until she heard the voice of another, one that she only vaguely recognized, that Ren grew more curious. 

Ren couldn’t bother to remember his name, but she knew the voice to the face. His voice was too low for her to hear, but whatever he said made Natalie burst out in a short laughing fit. Her nose scrunched up in disgust, a sudden rush of anger rippling through her limbs. He was an Alpha, she knew that much about him as well. 

This feeling of possessiveness, and perhaps even a hint of jealousy, was frankly random. A large part of her was denying that she felt any sort of connection to the Omega, so this was more confusing over anything. Her fist clenched tightly, digging her blunt nails into the palm of her hand with enough force to make her knuckles white. Unfortunately, this also meant she wasn’t completely aware of her surroundings, not noticing what she was doing until the door opened and she got pushed back.

Even with the sudden bump, Ren stood her ground and looked down, meeting bright blue eyes that were widened with shock. The sliding door shut behind Natalie and she was left pressed against it, leaving only inches of space between the two. It was completely silent, and Ren was still stunned from being caught. Natalie, on the other hand, immediately tore her gaze away and attempted to stare at the wall behind Ren.

Nervous. Was she feeling nervous? The Alpha swallowed, feeling some sort of anxiousness at their proximity, though their outwards appearance didn’t show that. They could just barely get a whiff of the Omega’s scent beneath her, one that wasn’t completely obstructed with stress. It was sweet, but she couldn’t place her finger on it specifically. She must’ve gotten caught up in her thoughts again because Natalie ended up trying to speak out.

_ “I’m sorry, I just need to–” _

_ “You’re going to have dinner with me later this week.” _

Shit.

_ “What?” _

Natalie’s eyes widened again as she looked up to the Alpha, and it was clear she was getting a bit more uncomfortable by the moment. Ren blinked and let out a soft breath as she tried to gather herself, taking a couple steps backwards. The notion allowed Natalie to breathe, her shoulders slacking a bit more, though she wasn’t sure how this was supposed to go down.

_ “Well?” _

_ “Well what?” _

_ “I’m asking you a question.” _

_ “I… It sounded more like a command. You weren’t really asking.”  _ The Omega stood there, shifting back and forth and the Alpha’s brows furrowed at the lack of an answer.

_ “Is that a no?” _

_ “Am I even allowed to say no?” _

Ren scoffed quietly, crossing her arms and clenching her jaw a bit. This was poorly planned and she had no clue what she was doing. Hell, this wasn’t even planned to begin with. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted Natalie to say yes, nor did she even know the reason she was asking her to have dinner. As a date? As a meeting to catch up? No, that was dumb. As the wakagashira, many of the lower members didn’t even get to speak to her for weeks at a time. There was no reason for her to be talking to Natalie now.

_ “Forget it.” _

With that, Ren turned on her heel and continued down the hallway, though holding herself up as if her pride wasn’t damaged. Natalie hadn’t immediately fallen for her, nor did she even sense a speck of interest in her. Besides, she already had one date planned, she didn’t need another inconvenience in her schedule.

────── 〔✿〕──────

To say that the encounter she experienced was only a little strange would be an understatement. What just happened? Natalie turned to watch Ren walk down the hallway, unsure of what to do with herself. It had been days since she had last spoken to her, and not only that, but she was fairly certain she was just asked out. Like a date.

It made no sense, nor was it appropriate. She was being held here against her will, and yet one of the people that was behind her being kidnapped just asked her out. Natalie chewed on her lip in thought and began to make her way down the hallway towards her room. There was no attraction there. None that mattered, at least.

Ren herself was easily the most attractive Alpha she had ever met, but that didn’t mean anything. Enjoying the Alpha’s scent also meant nothing, and she certainly wasn’t obligated to accept any type of invitation from her. It was just strange and a little uncomfortable if she was being totally honest.

While she knew where she stood on the matter, she couldn’t understand why Ren would pull a stunt like that. Was it just for professional matters? Perhaps she read the situation wrong and it wasn’t a date she was going for. It could’ve been a meeting, which reminded her that she did need to talk to someone higher up about matters regarding their gun and bullet production. Hopefully it wouldn’t be awkward to speak to her again after this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Again, I'm so sorry for the delay. Hopefully from here on out, it'll get a little more in depth. ...Or will it? Who knows. We'll just have to see.


	8. Chapter 7: Hallway Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to develop a new relationship isn't as easy as it seems, especially when it's not with the right person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry again for the late release, I had a crap load of homework last week and also for this week, so it took a little bit of time. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy! 
> 
> !! WARNINGS !!  
> \- Alcohol / Drinking  
> \- Suggestive themes

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_

_Wakagashira’s Office_

For the most part, Ren spent the next couple of days completely avoiding the labs and subsequently, the blonde Omega. Her pride had been bruised thanks to her own actions and the embarrassment that she caused herself. It was enough to keep her from being able to face the girl again so soon. There was the other concern that she had too, which was whether or not Natalie would keep the little incident to herself. She had too much on her plate already without the need to re-establish her status with the other members just because of one Omega. 

Trying to keep from thinking about what she had done was harder than she thought unfortunately. Ren had been going through records for hours at her desk, only to realize she hadn’t even gotten past the second file because her mind kept going back to that moment. Of course it was easy from there to start thinking about the blonde in other ways too, her thumb rubbing along the length of the pen in her hand as she became lost in thought. 

It didn’t help that her father had been pleasantly surprised with what Natalie had accomplished already. The easiest way to get on the oyabun’s good side was to impress him, so it was good for her. It meant that she would be put in his good graces and potentially earn more respect from the clan. It would make Ren’s job easier as well since she wouldn’t have to worry about constantly babysitting the Omega. 

With the way this was going, it just made it seem more like Natalie was the perfect match. Her intelligence was superior, she was gorgeous, and so far from what she could tell, fairly kind and rather timid. Even though her father was rather cautious of the electrician and was a bit displeased, she could convince him over time that this girl was the one for her. 

No. No, she couldn’t think that way. Ren clicked the pen a few times and flipped open some folders, internally scolding herself for even imagining it. Something like that broke multiple rules for their clan, and she would lose the respect from each member. The respect that she had worked hard for, every day for the past few years. 

Either way, the other scientists that Natalie worked with would be perfectly capable of keeping her content, and eventually she wouldn’t even think twice about Ren. It was better off that way. Being able to talk to people who had similar interests and who could understand what she was talking about would make her forget where she was. These people didn’t intimidate her and would keep her from reminding her of what happened and that she was being held here against her will. Hopefully.

The engineers were all good men and could protect her. Already Ren had seen improvement in her mood, she had heard her laughing with Tae Joon. An Alpha. Who had never shown any interest in anyone before, but was willingly talking with her and making her feel welcome. 

There was the sound of a _snap_ that brought her attention back to the present. Blinking, Ren looked down to see ink smeared across her fingers, seeping into the crevices of her skin and staining them. The pen she had just been holding was now in pieces on her desk, some of it still sticking to the palm of her hand. She sighed and placed her head in her other hand as she looked at the fresh mess she would now have to clean up. Like always. Maybe it would be better if she found a distraction. Nothing good would come from just sitting around with thoughts of a certain blonde on her mind. 

  
  


After she had finished wiping up the ink and placing the paperwork back into the locked drawer at her desk, Ren left the office with only vague ideas of what she would do to spend her time. She was stopped halfway down the hallway by one of her men who had a wide smile on his face. He was someone that could be the closest thing she would consider to a friend. It was that fact which might have allowed him to have made it this far in the clan, especially considering his questionable heritage. It was due to the fact that he had a tanner complexion and lighter hair, so many of the members suspected it, but never questioned him about it.

With enthusiasm, he invited her out to eat and she let out a sigh. The invitation was accepted without question, preferring not to drag on the conversation longer than necessary as she knew he would just whine the entire time if she didn’t join them. There wasn’t anything else for her to do anyway, so why not?

────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_

_Blue Night Bar  
  
_

The place that they had apparently chosen was one that the clan often frequented, including Ren herself. They had a good report with the Yakuza and anyone who came in causing trouble was always tossed out into the street. The drinks were good and so was the company, even if her kobun got a little rowdy sometimes. 

While Ren always enjoyed herself, she was usually more reserved when she drank than most others. It took alot for the Alpha to become intoxicated and she never personally drank so much that she couldn’t defend herself. While she liked that the alcohol eased the tension in her body and helped dull the ceaseless voices in her head of her father and those that challenged her, she could never let herself become too careless. 

It was never an issue and really, she would much rather sit and drink with friends and watch them make fools of themselves singing and failing to sweep strong willed Omegas off their feet. It was better than sitting in her office alone. Despite Ren’s strong sense of independence and having that air of hostility that constantly surrounded her, she had spent years alone and it wasn’t something she particularly enjoyed. Which is the reason why she preferred the company of an Omega in any scenario.

It took her a long time to tolerate the presence of other Alphas when she had been taken in by her father. Back then when she was on the streets, Alphas were only a source of competition. They were ruthless and untrustworthy. Even Betas couldn’t be trusted. They came in packs and only ever followed an Alpha and even if they didn’t want to, they would rather hurt you than get hurt themselves for disobeying an order.

Back then, they were only street thugs and petty criminals. Nothing compared to the Yakuza and they didn’t dare try to claim anything in her clan’s district now. But it was during those times that she learned not to show weakness to anyone. Her father made her into a Fukuda, but it was those lessons that made her the Alpha she was today. 

While she didn’t over indulge, it didn’t keep her from imbibing enough to let go a little bit. Which only ended in a small scuffle that first night when her friend decided to tease her about her choice of drinks. For once she had chosen something she personally enjoyed, a sweeter type of alcohol rather than her usual and he thought it would be a good time for a joke. Obviously he ended up on his ass before he knew what was happening. 

He had just sat there, staring up at her in confusion until she couldn’t help but let a grin break through. The other’s did the same, snickering behind his back and trying not to laugh. The man immediately returned the grin and began laughing as she held out her hand to pull him up. They ended the night soon after with no hard feelings as usual. Everyone knew Ren was a hard ass most of the time so it was expected to get a few bruises from her.

The next night was about the same, only Ren had caught the eye of a few cute Omegas and even a cocky beta girl who was charmed by her. They decided to spend the evening with her and her kobun, having asked if they would like their company with bright smiles and innocent touches. The other’s eagerly accepted and she did as well after a short pause. It eased her mind off of the one Omega that seemed determined to refuse her, and one of the other Omega’s helped stroke her bruised ego when she seemed very interested.

She was taller than her friends, with long black hair past her shoulders and slight of frame. She stayed close to Ren as her and the other members laughed and continued to talk, trying to impress them with stories about fights and even gambling matches that they had been in. They even tried to get Ren in on the tales, urging her to talk about the things she had done but she refused to take the bait and simply smiled behind her glass as the Omega continued to get closer. 

Then, as she was taking a drink, one of her men chose that moment to slap her hard on the back as he laughed at his own joke. Her sake instead spilled into her lap and though the rest of the other men stopped laughing immediately and stared, the other kept laughing until he realized what he had done. Not funny. Within an instant, the man was on the floor by her feet, knocked unconscious from one swift move. 

It only proved to impress the Omega’s and after only a few minutes, the conversation continued. A couple jokes were given at the expense of the kobun who spent the rest of the night unconscious even as the others carried him away so that he could sleep off the night of drinking. Ren stayed behind after the others had all left, leaving her alone in the bar with the one Omega that had decided to stick close for the entirety of the night.

Most of the other Omegas ended up with other members, having left with them. Both Ren and this Omega were sitting at the bar, and she listened to her speak while idly taking sips of her drink. While she didn’t have any interest in her, as per usual, this girl was clearly interested in getting something out of this. Once confirming that there were no other members around, Ren lowered her voice and mentioned that if they were to go anywhere with this, it would only be for a one night stand. 

Ren may be an Alpha, but she wasn’t going to be an asshole about it. She stated that it would be perfectly understandable if the Omega wished to leave now if she couldn’t handle the limited offer. She hardly seemed bothered by it while also confessing that was all she was looking for anyways. After paying for the bill, Ren lightly grabbed her by the arm to lead her outside.

The girl took the opportunity to lightly run her hand up along Ren’s side. Pale blue eyes darted to look at her, meeting the light brown ones of the girl. She was impatient. It was fairly dark out, so the Alpha instead led her to the alleyway, not hesitating to push her right up against the wall, placing a hand near her head to keep her pinned. 

This was just standard to her at this point. These girls fell so easily for her, and the one in front of her was already blushing and squirming at such a simple move. She leaned in and down, pressing her nose into her neck with a soft hum. The Omega immediately reacted by grabbing onto the back of Ren’s button up, sighing quietly.

As Ren closed her eyes and breathed in, she hesitated for a moment. Something about this was just wrong. The scent wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t really what she was looking for. The first thought that popped into her head was how sweet she remembered Natalie’s scent was. Unique and mouth-watering, really. 

Her lips parted against the skin of the Omega’s neck, giving her exactly what she had been craving. Slow, lingering licks and nips that were truthfully not being done at the best level that she could. With her eyes shut, the black space within her mind filled with thoughts of the blonde.

Being nearly pressed up against her in that door frame, getting to look deep into her sparkling blue irises. What she wouldn’t give to have a shot at that moment again. To instead step closer, taking the girl’s chin between her thumb and knuckles, leaning in close enough to feel the soft breaths on her lips.

She would’ve gotten to slide her fingers through those short golden locks of hers, feeling her chest rising and falling against her own with each desperate pant. There were fingers grasping and pulling tightly at her jacket and shirt, and she could feel the loose collar of it pulling up against her throat, making her push more until she heard a genuine and audible whine. Ren opened her eyes and snapped out of it, pulling away to see that she had accidentally, yes accidentally, abused this poor Omega’s neck.

Not that she seemed opposed to it, but there was more than enough hickeys left over. It wasn’t like her to be so careless like this, not even when she had been drinking. Whatever flare was within her died out when she realized who was the one tugging at her shirt and the voice was not the tender tone that she wanted to hear. 

  
  


_“Let’s get out of here,”_ Ren finally mumbled, tilting her head back to the street.

Enthusiastically, the other girl nodded and stuck close to Ren as they got into the designated car meant for the wakagashira. The entire ride had plenty of feeling up, though it was mostly one sided. Not from Ren, in fact. This girl was all over her, trying to kiss at her neck and doing whatever she could to please her. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_

_Fukuda Laboratories_

While there were always a million things on Natalie’s mind, the encounter that happened the previous night was something she couldn’t seem to let go. This wasn’t anything she could talk about with anyone, or that’s what she assumed. These people weren’t exactly the type she could go to for an issue like this, not even Tae Joon. This was something that would’ve been a perfect moment for her to hear some advice from Ajay.

Natalie did her best to act normal the next day, even though she made significantly less jokes. Tae Joon noticed and asked her about it, but she just brushed it off as feeling a little more tired than usual. Not like he was totally convinced, but he knew when to not push more. The day passed quickly for once, and before she knew it, it was time to clock out.

For one final attempt, Tae Joon set a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She jumped a little, though turning around in the swivel chair at the same time that he stepped back to give her room to do so. 

“Something has been bothering you. Are you sure you don’t need to talk about it, Natalie?”

Right. It must really be showing. She frowned slightly and waved her hand, now looking down to the small tool in her hand. Her fingers fiddled along it, her nail tapping on the metallic portion. 

“No, no. I’m fine. I think it might be the usual stress. I shouldn’t worry about it too much since it’s out of my hands.”

It wasn’t a lie, technically. While she decided to keep quiet on the whole Ren situation, she truly missed her daily texts with Ajay. Even if it was just one silly picture per day, or random outbursts of paragraphs that went back and forth, it was something she missed. 

“Keeping it all in won’t do you any good.”

The electrician let out a soft sigh and slumped in her chair a bit, brows tightly knit together as she dragged her thumb repeatedly over the edge of the device. She had never really liked talking about her personal issues, especially not if they were fairly troubling. Ajay was the only person she occasionally allowed herself to speak about these things, and even then it wasn’t very in depth.

“I’m not sure, I think I just miss my friend. I don’t know if they told her or if she’s just been left wondering where I am. I don’t want her to be worried over me. I don’t want her to end up getting sick.”

“Sick?”

“Yeah. Like when someone says they’re worried sick. They get sick from worrying too much.”

“Ah.”

That was definitely not how it worked, but Tae Joon didn’t have the heart to tell her that wasn’t what the expression meant. Technically someone could get sick from over worrying, but again, that wasn’t the point. Either way, she knew that she was gonna end up sick from stress if she didn’t resolve this soon enough.

“Well, I,” Tae Joon started quietly, “I may be able to help you with that.”

“Huh? Really?” 

Natalie’s eyes widened with hope and she looked at him, mouth slightly agape in shock. Her expression was unintentionally adorable, as were most things she did. Tae Joon felt a bit of warmth spread throughout his chest just at this, but he continued without hesitation.

“Mhmm. Prepare a message that you’d want to send to her. I can’t let back and forth communication happen, but if one message were to get out, I could make it so that nobody would even know.”

Before he could react, Natalie was up and had dropped her tool, now wrapping her arms tightly around the man while pressing her face into his chest. She was overwhelmed with emotions, her eyes filling up with tears. She choked slightly, feeling waves of stress being pushed off from her back. 

The apartment didn’t matter to her, neither did any of her valuables. They could all be replaced, and she had a place to sleep and had food to eat. It was an easy way to live, but Ajay mattered to her. Being in contact with the one person who had been with her through so much was her top priority. Nobody could replace something as valuable as that friendship.

“Tha–nk you,” She hiccupped, still trying to gather herself. 

The Alpha wasn’t exactly sure how to react. Physical contact wasn’t something he was accustomed to, but this could be excused. He gingerly put one arm around her upper back, just barely rubbing with his thumb in some sort of comforting manner. His own emotions were scattered, though he refused to express it.

There weren’t many moments in his life where he felt the primal urges that came with being an Alpha, but all he wanted to do now was to make sure nothing ever bad happened to Natalie. He would protect her in whatever way he could. She stepped back after just a moment, sniffling and using the back of her hands to wipe away the tears from her eyes. 

“Would you like me to walk you to your room? You shouldn’t overwork yourself right now.”

Natalie was still incapable of giving solid answers without stuttering or messing up her words, so she nodded instead and gathered her things quickly while he clocked the both of them out. Despite what was on Tae Joon’s mind, she could only be thankful for his kindness. There wasn’t anything that she ever expected from him, nor did she think he expected anything from her unless it was work related. It was just like her to be completely oblivious to people trying to form any type of romantic relationship with her.

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_ _  
__Fukuda Household - Laboratory Hallway_

Although Ren made sure to keep herself constantly alert after drinking alcohol, she let that guard slip some as they finally made it into the household. That buzzing feeling in the back of her head, the warmth that crept up from her stomach, a looser attitude than usual— It was the best way to keep herself from thinking about _her_.

The one negative thing about leading this girl to her room was that they had to travel down said hallway. Ren was fairly sure it was far later than their work hours, so she didn’t put much thought into it. Her arm was around the Omega’s shoulders, occasionally letting out a light laugh at her teases. It was something you’d see from any cheesy, drunken couple. The only reason Ren was acting this way also was because nobody else was around, and she would take any opportunity to score points with this girl.

Unfortunately, something interrupted her laugh, causing her to slow just a tad. The girl hardly noticed and continued talking in a low voice. The scent was one that she had smelled before. It was unpleasant. Stressed. Her eyes went to the door that they were now approaching, just in time to see it slide open and for Natalie to walk out, still sniffling and rubbing at her eyes.

The girl made some remark about it, but it went unnoticed by Ren when Tae Joon was the one that followed after her. Ren made the mistake of allowing herself to succumb to the effects of the alcohol, which also allowed her own Alpha instincts to make themselves more apparent. Her brain could only figure out two things from this situation: One being that Natalie was crying and clearly in distress. Two, something caused said distress, and the only person she could even possibly blame it on was the other Alpha behind her.

Fueled by her instincts, Ren slipped her arm off of the Omega and strided over to the two. Natalie only noticed at the last second before the man was slammed against the wall, pinned by his throat. The blonde gasped and jerked back as the wakagashira reached into her jacket and swiftly pulled out a kunai. The pointed tip was brought up quickly to point into the flesh of Tae Joon’s throat.

_“What the hell did you do to her? Huh? How dare you—”_

Tae Joon had only winced when he was forcefully put against the wall, knowing well that his back would be plenty sore the next morning. At least, if he makes it that long. He knew better than to fight back against someone so high up in the clan, even though he could feel his blood boiling.

_“_ H–Hey! Hey, wait, no! _No! This isn’t his fault! He didn’t do anything!”_

Natalie was panicking more, but Ren was relentless and refused to pull away so easily when the Korean man refused to even speak. Her muscles were tense, teeth grit and a low growl was forming in the back of her throat. Just as she began to press the tip in enough to prick his skin, she felt two hands urgently grabbing at her upper arm and trying to pull her away. 

_“Please, I swear he didn’t do this to me! Please! Ren,”_ Natalie whined out.

As she heard her name, Ren faltered, looking down to the girl that was tugging at her arm. She met her gaze and could see the anguish in her eyes. The scent of distress suddenly strengthened, and that was the moment in which she knew that she had only made the situation worse. As much as she hated to retract any notion and admit that she was wrong, she eased up on him, refusing to meet his gaze again.

The knife was slid back into the shoulder holster that was beneath her jacket, her hand releasing him entirely as she backed up. Tae Joon sucked in a breath of air and coughed a bit, immediately rubbing at his throat. Natalie was at his side and quietly asking him if he was alright.

Ren looked back to the other Omega who was, for once, unimpressed. Why would she do something like that for another Omega? It shouldn’t have been any of her business. The wakagashira stepped back over to her, but was quickly refused.

_“I think I can find my way out from here. Thanks,”_ The Omega stated shortly before turning on her heel to leave down the hallway.

Great. Right. She turned back the other way to see Natalie still trying to make sure he was alright while also blatantly looking away from Ren’s direction. Even though she had all this power within the clan, she had never felt so helpless to a situation before. Confused, angry, and utterly helpless. 

Swallowing thickly, she walked past them with her head still held high and her posture rigid. Yet another embarrassing situation to happen in the exact same spot. Ren was beginning to think that perhaps avoiding the hallway altogether would be the best for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Y'know. Shit happens. Don't make poor decisions. 
> 
> Maybe it'll get a little dramatic from now on, but there's already a lot of fixing that needs to happen. Anyways! Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave kudos and a comment if you'd like!


	9. Chapter 8: Things Get Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enough is enough. Ren has to take things into her own hands and own up to what she's done so she can fix things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the late release once again, and because of the delay. School and life has been a bit busy and stressful for me, so it took a little bit to get this chapter out. Anyways, hope you enjoy!
> 
> No warnings for this chapter!

_Fukuda Household_

_Laboratory Hallway_

Apparently the night was not meant to end on a good note after all. Just when Natalie thought that she would get to sleep peacefully, content to know that she would be able to get a message out to her dearest and most trusted friend, she was instead suddenly met with another incident. Before she had even been able to react, Tae Joon had been pinned up against the wall right before her eyes by an enraged Alpha. Ren had jumped the other out of nowhere and Natalie didn’t even understand why at the time until she heard the vicious threat. 

Stress and fear were the only things she felt as the furious scent of Alpha pervaded her senses. A whimper had begun to build in her throat by the time she had managed to get a hold of herself enough to try and stop Ren. She didn’t want Tae Joon to be hurt and it was clear that the high ranking Yakuza was trying to protect her even if it was a huge misunderstanding. 

As Ren seemed to finally notice her and hear her plea, she immediately released Tae Joon. Natalie knelt down at his side as the other backed away to make sure that he was fine. The Omega had looked up into Ren’s eyes, unable to understand the strange expression on her face, but her scent was starting to change, going from dominating and aggressive to something else...something different. Was it sadness? 

It was difficult to figure out in that moment, and ultimately she wasn’t able to determine what it was specifically because within seconds, the smell of alcohol began to grow stronger over the Alpha’s own scent. It made her nose instinctually wrinkle up as the smell in general bothered her a great deal. Before she could mention anything about it, Ren had faced away from the two of them and walked off as if nothing happened. 

“Are you alright?” 

Tae Joon nodded, still rubbing the spot along his neck where Ren had forced her blade upon him and placed his hand along Natalie’s shoulder in reassurance before thinking better of it and removing it. The last thing he wanted to do was run the chance of pissing off the wakagashira, though his worries seemed to be unnecessary as she was already down the hallway without a second glance 

“Tch, acting like that will end up getting her killed one day. It’s like she has a death wish,” He said with a deep sigh while looking down toward the blonde at his side. “Perhaps we should get you to your room now? I think the sooner this day is done, the better.” 

Natalie’s entire time here had already been so emotionally draining that she wasn’t even sure how to deal with this sudden situation. It’s not like anything she’s encountered before, and nobody ended up hurt, so was there really anything else to say? She couldn’t apologize for it because she hardly knew Ren, and yet it felt like she should have. 

“Right. Yeah. Let’s do that.” 

────── 〔✿〕──────

_Fukuda Household_

_Ren’s Bedroom_

  
  


Darkness crept up on the walls of the hallway of the Fukuda household, a color so black that it was almost impossible to process. There was no news of a storm and for as much as she could tell, the electricity should have been working. There was a faint mechanical buzzing in the back, sounds of voices and conversations. Dim light came from somewhere down the hall and Ren chose to follow it, leading her to stand in front of Natalie’s door. 

Right. She knew she should probably apologize to her for what happened to Tae Joon even if she didn’t mean it. At the very least she could apologize for frightening her. Ren was supposed to be the one to protect her– The one Alpha she could trust to keep her safe. All of that had been thrown away the instant that her blade had touched that man's throat. She clenched her hand into a fist, the feeling of the cold steel of her kunai lingering even though her hand was empty. Why had she done that? She had chosen to jump to conclusions so quickly, assumed that he had hurt Natalie and why? Why did it bother her so much that he was so close to her? 

There was a noise from inside the room and Ren lifted her gaze to the door in front of her. It was muffled, quiet, but the distinct sound of ruffling made her take another step toward the door. The Alpha didn’t even know why but she suddenly felt uneasy and pressed her hand against the door to lean closer. There was another noise, followed by the sound of a quiet feminine voice but Ren could tell it was Natalie. Trained in on the sound just as much as she was her scent. 

There was nothing else for a few moments and she considered knocking to see if she would be willing to talk to her until the next thing she heard made her stop. Natalie's voice again but there was someone else in there with her. She couldn’t make out what they were saying but she didn’t care to find out after she heard the distinct sound of a soft whimpering moan. Ren immediately felt anger well up inside of her, settling in her upper chest. Her jaw clenched shut and her fingers dug into the palm of her hand so hard she could feel her nails break through the skin, yet she felt no pain.

All she wanted to do was break down the door, or to shout something to get them to stop. All the words were bundled up in the pit of her throat, but she couldn’t say anything. Whoever was in there didn’t deserve Natalie. No Alpha could ever deserve her like she did. It took everything for her to stay right where she was until she heard another delicate moan and suddenly she felt sick and turned to leave. Apparently they did deserve her affection if they were the one in her room. Natalie has barely given her a second glance ever since she saw her during the lunch with her father. Every day after that she’s been with Tae Joon and it’s obvious that she feels safe with him. 

“No, st—stop! Please, stop.”

Ren stopped immediately and snapped her head back toward the door. She heard a crash and something hitting the floor but before she could take another breath, Ren was standing in front of the large ornate door, the wakagashira name plate there where it always was and slammed the door open to step into her own bedroom. She had her kunai in her hand and snarled, prepared to kill anyone who dared to hurt Natalie. The Omega was on the floor, a bloody lip and in her blue yukata as she stared in terror at her as she approached. 

_“Natalie? Are you alright?”_

_Look._

“No! Stop! Please, leave us alone! Don’t come near me!” 

_She’s afraid of you._

Ren stopped, confused as tears rolled down the blonds cheeks and she tried to push herself away from her. Suddenly men were grabbing at her. She tried to shove them off but they were stronger than her, bigger than her. She growled and thrashed in their grip as she yelled out for Natalie and heard one of them speak. 

_“Shut the whelp up! Annoying little brat.”_

Again, Ren tried to pull out of their grasp and reach for Natalie but she was gone. In her place was a Japanese woman with grey blue eyes, screaming out for her. 

_“No! Please, don’t hurt her. Let her go! Run! Ren go!”_

_Listen to her!_

_Run!_

Ren felt her body suddenly jerk awake from the horrendous nightmare as she gasped for air. The feel of someone’s hands on her made her flinch, her dream still fresh in her mind and she growled, moving to try and get up until she heard a soft voice shushing her. 

_“Ren, child. It’s alright. Settle down now before someone hears you. You’re safe.”_

She rolled over, dropping back onto her back as she met her mother’s gaze but slowly, as the nightmare faded, her vision cleared. Dark brown eyes, short black hair. Fuyumi, her father’s wife, sat at the side of her bed, hand resting against her arm and a searching look on her face. She sat up, looking down as she noticed she was still half dressed. Her sheets and shirt clung to her skin from sweat. Her hair had come loose and was also sticking to her face. Ren’s pants were still on too, along with her shoes and her blanket must have been tossed onto the floor sometime during the night because it was no longer on her bed. 

_“It has been awhile.”_

Ren barely cast a glance toward her step-mother as she sat up, scooting up to rest against the headboard of her bed. She was right. It had been awhile since the last time she had to deal with nightmares. They had been constant, near daily, when she was a kid. They stayed with her, well into adulthood until she had started to live with her father. Even then, it took years for them to become less frequent. But back then and even now, her step-mother had always been there for her to help her through them. 

_“Here. Take this.”_

She accepted the glass of water with a nod, drinking half of it before almost coughing from how cold it was. The Omega rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue before handing her a bowl of yellow fruit but Ren waved it off. 

_“I’m fine. I didn’t drink that much, I don't need any of your cures.”_

The older woman narrowed her eyes at the Alpha and for a minute, Ren began to regret her actions until Fuyumi just sighed and set the bowl down. She stood but not before tossing a warm wet towel at her face. 

_“Fine. Then get up and bathe yourself. It’s already ten in the morning. Your sheet needs to be washed too so go.”_

Ren growled and set the now empty glass next to her bed on the table. 

_“I can wash my own sheets! I don’t need you treating me like a child.”_

There was nothing but silence from the woman as she stared right at Ren, unflinching. The only sign of her displeasure was that of one her eyebrows starting to creep up into her hairline and Ren stood up from the bed.

_“Fine, fine. I’m going.”_ She walked toward the bath, muttering under her breath the entire time but made sure to not take a second longer, immediately shutting the door before she ended up with an angry Omega berating her like a toddler. 

The shower Ren took her time with, letting the hot water run down her back and sat there, trying to get the images of the nightmare out of her head. Her hair hung down around her face as she stared at the floor, watching the water run down the drain. It had felt so real, just like they always did. Though there were no imprints, it was almost like she could still feel the blood in her palm and smell the scent of fear from Natalie. From her own mother. 

It’s been so many years, she can’t remember what she looks like. Can’t remember what she used to smell like. It’s just vague images in her mind, like in her dreams and nightmares. Eyes like her own, long black hair down to the middle of her back. Beautiful and kind. But that’s all she had anymore. Her memories have faded and sometimes, Ren thinks the only reason she can remember even those little details is because that’s what she sees everyday when she looks in the mirror. Maybe it wasn’t even what she looked like at all but it’s the closest she would ever get.

When Ren was an initiate for the clan, she had been so unused to having a room and being able to use a bathroom without having to rush for fear of being chased off. She had never stood in front of a mirror for long and the first time she saw her own reflection after getting cleaned up, she broke the glass with her fist. She managed to only suffer a few cuts and one deep gasp in her knuckle but she had been so furious and hurt so much that she didn’t even fight back when Fuyumi had found her alone in her dorm. She had scolded her for bleeding all over the floor and her bed but she had also helped clean the cuts and bandaged her hand. She took care of her even though she didn’t have too.

The entire time, Ren sat in silence. Even when she was questioned about what happened, she said nothing and stared at the floor. But after the woman had gotten up to leave, just before she had reached the door, she stopped and turned around. In a broken, quiet voice, Ren asked if she would be able to cut her hair. The woman had simply nodded and had her follow. She stood there with her, patiently, cutting off inch after inch of hair until finally Ren was satisfied with the length when it barely reached the top of her ears.

There was a small part of her that understood what happened that day was just as much of a relief for her as it was Fuyumi. While the woman treated her well and took care of her, raised her to be a good person, she couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like for her to raise her husband's bastard, an accident that by all rights should have been left on the streets to die. To see the woman that he had been with in her features every day. 

Even after her hair had been cut, Ren had been so used to having to defend herself that despite how Fuyumi treated her, the prideful, angry Alpha refused to be thankful toward her. There was no way that anyone, especially her of all people, should want to help her. It was a lie and if she let her guard down for one second, she was sure the woman would have her beaten. It was only after Fuyumi had started to care for her after her nightmares, helped her hide that weakness from the others and her father, that she slowly began to trust her. 

It didn’t take long after for Ren to find out that she was just as kind as she was stern. A mother could only take so much disobedience from one headstrong Alpha and she definitely learned not to put up with Ren’s fluctuating moods. She learned to appreciate everything that Fuyumi ever did for her and knew that Omega would have been a fantastic mother if given the chance. 

By the time that Ren stepped back into the room, freshly bathed and in a spare grey yukata, her bed was made and fresh clean clothes were also laid out for her. She must have been in there for a while if her mother had time to do that and checking the time on her watch that was on the side table proved just how long it was. More time wasted. 

The Alpha was about to put them away and choose something else to wear when she noticed the corner of a note beneath her shirt. Her brows furrowed and she pulled it out, noticing immediately that it was her step-mother's handwriting. She already knew it was going to be something that she needed to remember for later or a note about something her father would need to talk to her about. Instead what she read wasn’t anything like that. 

Ren stood there, staring at the words of the little square of paper in her hand. ‘ _It’s never too late to take a different path. Turn back and try again.’_ So her step-mother had noticed. She honestly shouldn't be surprised. She was a smart woman, fit to be an oyabuns mate. If anything were to happen to her and her father, there is little doubt that she would be able to run the clan until a new leader was chosen. 

It didn’t ease any of her concerns about the other members seeing her behavior but she also knew her mother was overly observant. Ren sat down on the bed, her head in her hands as she groaned. ‘ _What the hell is wrong with me?’_ She thought. She would never act so brash or reckless. She was headstrong and prone to anger easily, but never was so out of control and especially was never so affected by a single Omega. Alphas couldn’t even get her to flinch and the only one she had ever kneeled to was her father. 

In the back of her mind, she knew what the issue was but was unwilling to admit it, even to herself. It was just a mistake, one that could be easily rectified and she knew exactly how to do so. She’s done this so many times, knew how to sweep Omegas off of their feet without any effort. Natalie was just like any other Omega. It was that simple. It would take time, but she could make up for her mistakes. Hopefully.

────── 〔✿〕──────

  
  


_Fukuda Household_

_Laboratory_

Natalie wasn’t ever going to mention the whole situation that happened the previous night to anybody, but she couldn’t say the same for Tae Joon. While she enjoyed getting to work early normally, she had slept in a bit more that morning. So by the time she arrived, a few of the scientists looked to her with concern. It was a bit difficult for her to catch on at first, but then the head scientist approached her with a rather apologetic look.

_“Try not to take the situation too personally, Miss Paquette. The wakagashira has a tendency for abrupt violence, especially after going out with the other clan members for drinking.”_

While it shouldn’t have, something about Tae Joon mentioning this to everybody there bothered her. Whether or not it was actions done in a drunken state, even if they were wrong, there was no need to spread information that did nothing good for anyone. It created unnecessary drama, and although what Ren was doing was wrong, she did take into consideration that there were many things that she didn’t know about her. 

_“Thank you Mr. Ai. I’ll keep that in mind.”_

As she headed over to her work station, she reached within her shirt pocket to pull out a piece of neatly folded paper. It was the note she had written for Tae Joon to send out to Ajay, which was the one thing she was looking forward to. That’s all she wanted today, just to be able to have one good thing and have a normal day. Tae Joon, as always, was sitting in his corner with the computers. She approached him and didn’t even have to say a thing before he glanced to see her walking up.

“Good morning. Um, I. I have the note that I wanted to be sent out. I’m sorry if this is sudden,” Natalie started out.

“No, don’t worry about it. I’ll get on it right away,” Tae Joon held out his hand for the note as he gave the faintest of smiles.

As she handed over the note, Natalie chewed on her bottom lip out of habit, wanting to mention something about the previous night. No, again, there was nothing she could say. She should just let it be for now and get back to her work. Focusing on her job was something that surprisingly increased her good mood, considering it was something she loved to do. 

“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

He nodded to her before she stepped over to her table and tools, letting out a soft sigh through her nose as she looked over all her neatly organized plans. Her head was filled with crowded nonsense, worrying over too many things at once. For Ajay, for Tae Joon, for herself, and for some odd reason, Ren. That was the one thing that bothered her the most, especially since she felt as though the woman didn’t deserve any type of empathy. At least, that’s how all the other scientists treated the wakagashira. 

Work. Focus on work, Natalie. It’ll turn out all right. 

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_

_Sakura Cafe Jimbocho_

Even though Ren’s morning was somewhat of a rough start, they were thankful that their step-mom had come to check up on them. She had entirely forgotten that she had that date with the CEO’s daughter, Shizuka. Thankfully it was a late lunch date, so sleeping in wasn’t too much of an issue. After they had gotten ready, it had been a quick drive to the location to meet her. 

At least the date with the new partner's daughter isnt turning out to be unbearable. The entire time the girl is kind and respectful, but noticeably very shy. While normally Ren would be all over that and trying to ease her nerves with charismatic smiles and flirtatious gestures, this time she's less attentive and distracted, having little interest in what the girl is even talking about. Her face rests in her hand, thumb under her chin as she stares at the meal in front of her. It's very light and if she was being honest, not very satisfying. A lot like this date.

It's no fault of the Omega but for some reason, Ren is simply not interested. It's when the girl becomes brave enough to move closer and place a warm hand on her thigh that she looks up and meets her eyes. There's a small smile, but she can tell something isn't right. Her scent gives away more of her nerves then even her trembling hands do and Ren decides that now would be the best time to give her mercy.

_"Do you want more?"_

Shizuka blinks, her fingers curling against her leg as if fighting the urge to pull away.

_"Uh, excuse me?"_

Ren nods to the empty plate in front of her and gives a soft smile. _"Are you not still hungry? I don't want to be the reason you starve."_

Ren makes an effort to come close, using her presence to make the girl's heart race and pushes hair out of her eyes while making her look up at her. 

_“Listen. You are a beautiful girl but you don’t need to worry, I will send you back home to your father. There’s no obligation that you need to fulfill here.”_

She seemed scared again, her hands curling against her chest and she shook her head and then tried to reach for her again. 

_“But my father-”_

_“No. No one will know.”_ Ren grabbed her hand and held in within her own, giving a faint smile. _“It will be our little secret.”_

It was a good thing that the Omega was smart and it didn’t take long for her to understand and accept her act of kindness. If either of them were to admit to ending the date prematurely, it would look bad on her just as much as it would Ren, if not more, because that meant that she failed her duty as an Omega. Unfortunate, but it was a harsh belief in most families who had Omega children. 

The food was paid for by Ren, which was no surprise, before she called a car to come pick them up. She could at least give her a ride home, and at least they could say they spent more time together. Ren didn’t know how this girl’s father would react, but hopefully it wouldn’t be too harsh. After all, she wasn’t going to sever the contract they had made simply because she wasn’t interested in the CEO’s daughter. That would just be bad business.

As they got in the car, the girl seemed to calm down quite a bit now that she knew Ren didn’t have any ulterior motives. She was comfortable enough to at least speak up about other things at this point.

_“I am actually… Quite relieved that it ended this way. I was worried about what was going to be expected from me. I actually have someone else that I’m interested in, but my father disapproves.”_

_“Hah. I think I understand what you mean. Here, just so your father knows you tried.”_

Ren slid off her jacket, reaching over to drape it over her shoulders so that her own scent would stick to her. She also made a mental note to contact the CEO later to make sure he wouldn’t stress over nothing for too long. Or perhaps she would make him wait since he had tried to give out his daughter so easily to a random Alpha simply for the status. 

_“You are very attractive. And ah, a very intimidating Alpha. But you are a good person.”_

The girl meant well but she was wrong. She wasn’t a good person and she knew almost nothing about her, yet she claimed to be able to judge her character and morals after a short dinner. 

_“You're naive to think so.”_ At her words she heard a small giggle and saw the Omega casually shrug her shoulders and turned her gaze to the Alpha. 

_“If you were not, I wouldn’t be heading home right now. Untouched.”_

Though Ren frowned down toward the girl at her bold remark, Shizuka only gave her a gentle smile in return. It couldn’t be helped and she wasn’t going to admonish her for saying something that might as well be a compliment. She should see it as one, even though society wouldn’t. 

_“Hmm.”_

_“I believe one day you will find an Omega that will make you see the truth in my statement and they will be very lucky to have you as their mate.”_

The car had come to a stop and without thinking, Ren stepped out and held the door open for the girl, walking after her once the door was shut. They both stopped and turned to face one another, Ren’s expression unreadable but she couldn’t control her mind from thinking about the girls words. She said nothing, lost in thought as Shizuka rocked on her heels and gave a sheepish smile to the Alpha before gently coughing to get her attention. Ren blinked once and took notice that they were standing in front of the Omega’s home. 

“ _Thank you very much for the lovely evening and for taking care of me. I hope you enjoyed yourself as well._ ”

The Alpha’s response was a simple nod and with that, the girl bowed to her and then turned around to walk up the steps to her home. Ren stood there until the Omega was safely inside before taking her leave. Her head full of thoughts but knowing what her next steps were, she was much more confident about returning to talk to Natalie.

  
  


────── 〔✿〕──────

_Chiyoda, Tokyo_

_Sasama - Small Shop_

After delivering the young Omega back to her father, Ren headed toward home but not before taking a small detour to a shop that she knew of in order to pick up an order she had purchased earlier in the day. The store owner was thankfully a family friend and wasn’t unfamiliar with Ren. He had been willing to stay a few hours after closing just for her and the Alpha showed him her appreciation as she retrieved the box from the counter he was sitting at. 

_“Thank you very much for this. I’m sorry to have asked you to stay so late for something so small.”_ The man smiled brightly at her and waved his hand to brush off her apology. 

_“Think nothing of it, you have always been my most faithful customer. It’s the least I can’t do to provide for the Fukuda clan for everything you and your father has done for me.”_ The old man had always been kind to her, even offering her discounts, though she always refused them. _“Though I am surprised you picked a different selection than your usual options, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.”_

Ren left shortly after and immediately drove to the Fukuda home to prepare for her conversation with Natalie. It wasn’t like she needed to gather up the courage so much as she needed to time it right so that she could speak to her without raising suspicions around the others. The time on the car read a few minutes before 10 o’clock and she thanked the driver and stepped out. Ren knew that the group of scientists were used to working past their shift, so she would still have plenty of time to catch her before she returned to her room to retire for the evening. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

_Fukuda Household_

_Bedroom Hallways_

Just as suspected, there wasn’t anybody left in the labs. Unfortunately, that also included Natalie. A quick look around the room confirmed that they had all left, hopefully not too long ago though. This meant that the Omega had probably made it back to her room, or that she could catch her in time. With a turn and a brisk pace, Ren headed down the hallway and made a turn, eyes locking onto the form of the blonde that was approaching her bedroom door.

“ _Hey! Wait a moment,”_ Called out Ren, making Natalie freeze where she was and turn to watch her approaching.

Natalie’s expression was a mixture of things, overall unreadable. Though by her posture and sudden shifting, she could guess that she was anxious of what was going to happen. That reaction by itself was a bit gut twisting, but she decided to brush it off for now. She removed her jacket and folded it over her shoulder to hide the box that was underneath her arm as she caught up to her. 

“I wanted to come to you to apologize. My behavior lately hasn’t been...appropriate. There’s no excuse for what I did, but here. I hope you will accept this as part of my apology.”

Lifting her jacket, Ren revealed the box and held it out for Natalie to take. Her eyes seemed to widen in surprise as she looked between the Alpha’s gentle expression and the gift before reaching out to take it. 

While handing the box of treats over, it had uncovered the strapped kunais at her side, not realizing it until she noticed the blonde's eyes staying for longer than normal. With a glance down she understood and subtly tried to hide them once more by fixing her jacket over her shoulder again. It seemed to do the trick as Natalie looked back up at her for a moment, though with a little more of a frown. She gave her a small smile anyways and pulled the gift close to her, fiddling with the raised etching with her thumb. 

“Thank you, I appreciate the gesture though I’m not sure it is me who you should be apologizing to.” 

While that wasn’t true because she did owe the girl an apology, she understood what she meant. Tae Joon was the one who had gotten the brunt of her anger, and for no good reason. The issue was that she didn’t care about the Alpha’s feelings, only Natalie’s. 

“I owe him one too, but I wanted to speak to you first.”

It wasn’t as if Natalie was used to talking to the Alpha all that much but something in the way that she said that made her think it was very informal. Maybe that wasn’t the word she was looking for. It seemed almost too comfortable, although it hit her that it was possible it was just because they were speaking in English.

“Okay, um. What else did you want to speak to me about?”

Oh. Oh crap. She didn’t think she would actually get this far. What else was she supposed to talk to her about? This entire situation felt a bit more awkward than it should have been, especially since she always prided herself on her ability to talk so smoothly with Omegas. For once, Ren could feel her own heart beginning to beat a little bit faster in anticipation.

“Right. Also about the other night, when I asked you about the lunch,” Ren paused as she saw Natalie’s expression change subtly, but then continued, “I wanted to ask again. I asked suddenly and without giving you time to genuinely consider the offer. It is optional, I wouldn’t force you to do it.”

“Erm,” Natalie cleared her throat softly and averted her gaze to the box once more. “Like a casual lunch or…?”

A date? Yes. Ren wanted a date with her, but she couldn’t say that. 

“Just a casual lunch. That’s it. Nothing more.”

Damn it.

“I,” Natalie continued to chew on her bottom lip for a few moments more, “Could I give you an answer tomorrow?”

“Yes of course. There’s no rush,” Ren then gave a small nod to the box, “I hope you enjoy the gift, Natalie. Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight to you too.”

With that, Ren turned to head down the hallway. Natalie waited for her to walk out of sight before she turned to her door, stepping in and heading over to her desk. She set the box down and carefully opened it, eyes widening at the unexpected surprise. These treats were beautiful, decorated with various little leaves. Edible, of course.

It wasn’t anything she had seen before, so she’d have to ask her co-workers what the exact name for it is. As she picked one up, it looked and felt like just regular mochi, and as she would learn tomorrow, it was a Japanese sweet called wagashi, which would normally be served with tea. It was rather delicate and soft, and she almost didn’t want to eat them all. 

Just one for now, though. She lifted it to her mouth and bit it in half, blinking in surprise at the satisfyingly sweet flavor. She hummed in content and finished that, knowing she absolutely had to know where to get more. She closed the lid and ran her hand over the lid, which she noted again was incredibly decorative for such a simple gift. Perhaps the others would know of the shop name as well.

It wasn’t that bad of a day after all. For once. Hopefully it would just get better from this point on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. As a treat, we're giving you a half chapter that is NSFW, Warnings will be posted for it, so don't worry.  
> Don't forget to leave kudos and a comment if you'd like! Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 8.5: Tension Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren gets some much needed personal time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Here's a short half chapter, really describing only one scene. This is NSFW, so please read the warnings before you go into this. If you don't want to read it, just skip it and wait for the next chapter! This isn't for everyone and that's understandable. For the people who do read it, I hope you enjoy the first genuine NSFW thing in this series!
> 
> !! WARNINGS !!  
> \- Female with penis (Alpha)  
> \- Masturbation  
> \- Genital piercing

_Fukuda Household_

_Ren’s Bedroom_

The past few weeks have been stressful, and more than usual. It was actually strange that it was stressful at all, even. Ren’s duties within the clan were easy, and it was rare that she ever had to make a difficult decision that affected her. To think that such a minor thing such as bringing in a new scientist would end up causing such a large disturbance in her normal schedule with a few bumps along the way.

Multiple bumps. Continuous bumps that were beginning to affect her every-day choices. One of the things that weren’t as important as others that was suddenly affected was her more private life. As wakagashira, she had the most Omegas after her, that and her natural charm. Such as the other night at the bar, in which she should’ve had a fun and lengthy night with the Omega she was taking back to her room.

Interruptions ensued, ones that were her fault, and yet they were caused all because of one electrical engineer that was suddenly thrown into her life. Perhaps she would have even been interested in the CEO’s daughter and would have successfully wooed her, but it was just not meant to be. 

Getting gifts for Omegas was also something that she didn’t often do either, and yet she did so last night. Natalie’s gift was more than just a gesture of apology, but today she would get an answer. Hopefully. It was early in the morning currently and Ren was just beginning to wake up. Far earlier than normal, which was completely opposite from the previous morning.

With a deep sigh, the Alpha rolled from her side onto her stomach, causing her to notice something that was frankly impossible to not notice. Her body must have realized the stress that she was under, and she knew that above all, she needed personal time to release that stress. As she shifted beneath the sheets again, she felt her half-hardened length rub against the mattress. 

This was just the result of her not getting laid in quite some time, that being just over two weeks. Which sounds as if she shouldn’t be complaining at all, especially since most of the time she slept with a different Omega at least once a week. Being so libidinous was common for her, as any time she had even the slightest craving for anything sexual, she would indulge herself in whatever she had access to.

Ren rolled onto her back finally, letting out a deep, slow breath as her hand slid down over the sheets, across her firm stomach and lower until her palm pressed against her length. This was long overdue, at least in her head. Not having much patience, she pulled the sheets off from herself, bunching it up at her feet. All she wore was a pair of black boxer briefs and the button up from the previous night, having been too lazy to take it off fully. 

Before anything, she shifted her way closer to the edge of the bed, reaching to her nightstand and opening a lower drawer that held various things for her to use during her sexual encounters. It was all neatly organized and well kept, but she only grabbed the small bottle of lubricant and a folded hand towel. After setting them next to her, she reached down and pulled down the elastic band of her underwear, lifting her lower half to slide them down at least to her thighs.

Once those were out of the way, she grabbed the bottle of lube and flipped the cap open using her thumb, squeezing a decent portion of it out into the palm of her other hand. After closing it and dropping it next to her again, she reached down and carefully gripped onto the shaft, spreading the slick liquid across it. She let out a soft sigh through her nose as she made sure to coat the entire thing, feeling herself harden more with each slow movement.

Light was peeking through the curtains, shining half across her bed, part of it highlighting the tattoos she had on her thighs and lower stomach. A black lotus was tattooed directly on the front of her pelvis, the stem of it curled and twisted around the base of her cock. It was painful, but not as bad as something else she had.

Her thumb slid up to the head, then rubbing at the underside where there was a frenum piercing. Piercings like this weren’t uncommon within the Yakuza, but it certainly showed a certain amount of strength and tolerance. Not only that, but plenty of Omegas took great interest in something that they considered to be so out of the ordinary. As an added bonus to her, it even stimulated her and gave extra pleasure when it was done right.

Once she was satisfied with the slickness, she began to pump slowly from the base and up halfway. Ren tilted her head back into the pillow, exhaling and briefly shutting her eyes. With her free hand, she unbuttoned her shirt entirely. What could she think about while doing this? There were so many encounters, ones that could help her get off quickly.

She opted to think about an Omega on her knees, stroking her off and licking at the underside, making her let out a low hum as she pumped her hand faster. Pre-cum began to bead at the tip, dripping down along the side and adding to the slickness. As much as that was helping, she only got herself fully hard because she had been so pent up. Something about that fantasy just wasn’t doing it for her this time.

This time she thought about an Omega beneath her, laying on her back while she took only half of her length, whimpering and begging for more. Ren was, as one would say, well endowed. From base to tip when she was hard, she was hitting just about eight inches. She was slightly on the thicker side as well, though not all Omegas were able to take the entire thing. That was never an issue for her personally, she didn’t mind as whatever each Omega took always got the job done.

Their hand moved towards the tip, pumping and twisting while she began to slowly rock her hips upwards against her slick palm. Her mouth parted as she began to pant, though her face scrunched up a bit as she wasn’t getting the exact desired feeling. Thinking about strangers in general… It just wasn’t working. 

With a short sigh, she simply held at the base, opening her eyes and staring up at the ceiling. It didn’t take long before her mind began to wander towards a certain Omega, a certain scientist. This was wrong, wasn’t it? The way she wanted this girl wasn’t necessarily sexual, though. In fact, the first thing her mind jumped to was getting to cup her face, tracing her thumb over the scar that was on her cheek.

Natalie’s lips looked incredibly soft, especially when they had been put face to face in that doorway. If only she could have leaned down in that moment to connect their lips in a kiss, breathing in her scent and getting to feel their bodies pressed together. She didn’t want this to be one sided, she wanted the girl to like her back, to see her as someone suitable enough to be her girlfriend.

Without thinking, her hand began to move again, but at a much slower pace than before. Her eyes shut again as she imagined what it would’ve been like if that kiss got more heated. To feel their lips moving in sync, her hands holding at her waist while Natalie’s felt up along her arms and shoulders. She could’ve taken them back to their room then and there, but that was impossible. This was just a little self-indulgent fantasy.

Seeing the girl in her dark blue yukata, sitting on the edge of her bed and beckoning her closer. Strong hands sliding beneath it and over the top of her smooth thighs. Ren thought of the brief scent they got of her while trying to picture her reaction to her leaning in to place kisses all along the side of her neck, letting her tongue slip out once in a while to hear a breathy moan from her.

Ren’s hand moved up her length as she felt it throb, making her crave more. The blonde would be unbuckling her pants, tracing over the hard length lightly as a tease while she pulled them down. Wasting no time before soft hands gripped her, jerking her off lightly while encouraging her to get even closer.

A low moan left her throat for the first time that morning, her hips jerking up desperately. It wouldn’t take long before she would gain control of the situation, pushing Natalie down onto the bed and helping her pull the silk belt off from the yukata. Running her fingers across her bare stomach and back down to her thigh, slightly pushing to get her to spread her legs for her. 

Natalie wanted this– Wanted _her_. She was panting and flushed, looking up to the wakagashira with a needy gaze, her blonde hair slightly tousled from their hallway makeout session. She was gorgeous and perfect in every possible way. Ren could feel her length throbbing more now, making her speed up, focusing more on the tip with each twist of her wrist.

Getting to push inside her would be heaven, feeling her warmth surround her length and hearing Natalie moan out, saying her name and wrapping her arms around her neck. Nails dragging down a muscular, tattooed back while Ren’s hips began to move against her. The feeling couldn’t be placed exactly, nor was it even a phantom feeling. Still, the thought did more than enough.

Gritting her teeth, she cursed under her breath and began to steadily thrust up into her hand, squeezing more firmly, causing more pre-cum to drip out from the tip and over her fingers. Her mind was clouded with thoughts of the blonde touching her, feeling her up, running her fingers through her hair, anything. Anything at all that said she wanted her.

_“Shit,”_ Ren hissed, groaning out as her hips began to stutter, her hand moving much faster now. Her abdomen tensed and flexed, her back arching slightly against the mattress. _“Fuck, Natalie, I’m so close,”_ She panted out, her chest rising and falling quickly now. The tip of her cock was reddened, the rest of her slick length swollen with need. 

With a few more quick, hard pumps, Ren felt all of that heated tension that built up in her lower stomach snap. Their breath caught in their voice for a moment, hand stopping and gripping down tight at the base while they hit their peak. Finally they moaned out loud, their cock pumping out a thick load up and onto their stomach. She grunted softly each time she felt herself throb, occasionally giving a full length stroke to hold out her orgasm.

After she felt the buzz die down, she was able to relax, still panting softly through her nose. She let herself enjoy the rush of endorphins. Her other hand slowly and lazily patted around the bed until she found the hand towel, reaching down to wipe off her stomach and everything else.

The only bad thing about this was that it was a much better orgasm than she had most of the time by herself, she’d even go so far to say that it was better than some of the Omegas she’s been with. The issue with this was it was because she was thinking about Natalie. Even worse, it wasn’t some sort of ultra-heated and kinky one-night stand type of deal. Not at all.

Ren wanted her to be happy, she wanted to be someone that Natalie could seriously consider as a mate. One-sided attraction was not romantic whatsoever, and it was becoming an issue now that she knew she wanted to be with Natalie for more than just a couple dates. She wanted her as a mate, as her girlfriend. She didn’t want to be the Alpha that could just pick up anybody, she wanted to be seen as someone worthy to Natalie.

As Ren opened her eyes, she looked over to the alarm clock on her nightstand. It only read 7:53 AM. 

Fuck. It was going to be a long day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed! See you (hopefully) next weekend for the next chapter update!
> 
> Maybe sometime in the future you'll get one of these from Natalie's perspective. Maybe. We'll just have to see. 
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading!


End file.
